Golden Angel
by Legendary Super Candyce
Summary: Third installment of my Escaflowne trilogy. When Folken and Adrina's daughter Mecale is faced with a tough decision, she prays for guidance and is answered in a most unusual way... COMPLETE!
1. Prologue: Birth

Author's Note: This fic is the third and final installment of my Escaflowne trilogy. It focuses on Folken and Adrina's daughter Mecale. I hope you enjoy. 

This fic is dedicated to Gwuinny, who wouldn't leave me alone about it until I wrote it. Thank you Gwuinivyre, for the push I needed and for staying so interested in my work. You're the best! 

_Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or it's characters. I do own the characters I have created and the storyline. That is all._   
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Adrina's chocolate brown hair was matted to her face with sweat and her skin was deathly pale. Suddenly, another contraction gripped her already weakened body with icy talons of pain and she screamed as though she were being tortured. 

"Push!" the midwife ordered but Adrina barely heard her. The contraction passed and Adrina's body went limp She looked around and saw that the darkness clouding her vision was spreading. It had started as a spec but was now large enough to block her peripheral vision. She was only able to see what was right in front of her and even that was blurry. 

Another contraction started and she screamed again, although with less conviction. The pain was still there but was beginning to lessen. She knew that she was getting weaker and if she didn't have this baby soon, she was going to die. 

The midwife saw it too. She spoke quickly to a servant and then hurried into the next room where Folken, Adrina, Merle, Zane and Golan were waiting. When Folken spotted the midwife, he hurried over to her anxiously. 

"Did she have the baby?" Folken asked, "Is it a boy or a girl? Can I see it?" 

"Listen to me," the midwife snapped in a low voice, "this delivery is not going well. It is terribly strenuous on the Queen and I don't think she's going to make it. You need to go in there and be with her." 

Another scream drifted from the birthing room, this one only a thin wail. Without hesitation, Folken hurried past the midwife and into the room. When he saw Adrina, his heart felt as if it were being squeezed. She looked on the verge of death. He ran to her side. 

"Rina love, I'm here." He took her hand in his. It was like a chunk of ice. "Please Rina, you must hold on." 

"Fol…ken," Adrina whispered and then was hit with yet another contraction. She screamed and he squeezed her hand, but she didn't squeeze back. 

"I can see the head!" the midwife shouted, "keep pushing M'lady!" 

The pain didn't subside this time and Adrina felt herself drifting away. To keep from fainting, she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. 

_No!_ her mind shouted, _I can't die! I must see my baby! I must hold my baby! I must…_

Suddenly, the pain stopped and there was a whoop of joy from the servants. Adrina's eyes were almost completely dark now and she couldn't move at all. 

"It's a girl!" the midwife told them. The baby was quickly wrapped in a blanket and handed to her father. Folken knelt by Adrina and held the baby out to her. 

"A girl," he whispered, tears running down his face, "our daughter." 

From where Folken was holding her, Adrina could see the slightly blurry image of the baby. She had brown hair like Adrina's but at the front were two blue streaks the color of Folken's hair. Adrina wanted nothing more than to hold the precious child but her arms wouldn't cooperate. She smiled weakly. 

"Mecale…" Adrina whispered and then darkness took her and she saw no more. 


	2. Indecent Proposal

**Chapter 1: Indecent Proposal**

  


In a clearing among the Fanelian Forest where her parents had picnicked many times before she was born, Mecale Inara de Fanel sat with her back to a tree, reading a book. The book was old and worn, as was obvious by the battered cover. The title of the book was "Fairytales" and had belonged to her mother. She always read this particular book when she was trying to get away from everything. She had tried relaxing in the palace, but her nine-year-old, twin, cat cousins Dolyn and Zara had been bugging her to play hide-and-seek with them. 

The main reason Mecale had fled the confines of the palace was because King Allen and Queen Millerna of Asturia and their children were arriving today for a visit. Mecale was very fond of the monarchs of Asturia and their daughter Kolena, who was a year younger than Mecale, Erika, who was fourteen and Alexia, who was ten. The problem with the visit was Allen and Millerna's son, Riley. At 18, Riley was a year older than Mecale and had been chasing after her since they were children. Mecale had told him countless times that she wasn't interested and yet he continued to relentlessly pursue her. He was pompous, arrogant and somewhat of a pretty boy. He was about as alluring to Mecale as a worm. 

"Mecale!" 

Mecale sighed as her cousin Siri's voice floated to her from the forest behind her. She closed the book and stood up just as Siri entered the meadow. The sunlight glinted off her dark brown hair, just like her father's, as she stopped in front of Mecale. 

"There you are," Siri announced, "I've been looking for you everywhere!" 

"Where did you think I'd be?" Mecale questioned. 

"Good point," Siri acknowledged, "but it's a long walk out here! Couldn't you have hidden somewhere closer?" 

"I'm not hiding," Mecale insisted, "I'm relaxing." 

"Whatever you're doing, you're supposed to be in the palace," Siri reminded, "King Allen and Queen Millerna are going to be arriving within the hour." 

"Yay," Mecale replied sarcastically. 

"What's the matter?" Siri asked with a grin, "not happy to see Riley?" 

"Am I ever?" 

"No, I guess not," Siri commented. "You know, he'd almost be appealing if he wasn't such a…" Siri trailed off, searching for a word to describe the heir to the Asturian throne. 

"Sissy?" Mecale offered, "Arrogant pig? Pretty boy? Should I go on?" 

"No, I think that about does it," Siri chuckled, "but we'd better get back to the castle before my father sends the Army after us." 

"Wouldn't be the first time," Mecale stated truthfully. 

The two girls left the clearing and started down the long forest path towards the palace, chatting about various things on the way. Siri was only a year younger than Mecale and as a result, the two were very close. Mecale's birth had been terrible for her mother and consequently she had no brothers or sisters. Not that there was a shortage of companions around the palace. Her cousin Golan was more like her big brother than a cousin. Siri was like a sister and best friend and even Dolyn and Zara were like the little siblings she'd never have. Never once in her life had she wished she had brothers and sister of her own. 

When the girls finally reached the palace, they were met by Hitomi, Merle and Adrina. All of them were dressed in fancy but casual dresses, obviously in anticipation for the King and Queen of Asturia. 

"It's about time you two made it back here," Adrina scolded. 

"Yeah, Van was about to send the Army after you," Merle joked. 

"Mother," Mecale whined, ignoring her Aunt Merle's joke, "Do I have to be here when they arrive? You know that Riley is going to start bothering me the second he gets here and won't leave me alone until they've gone. This is torture! Why do you subject me to this?" 

"Every royal has to make sacrifices to ensure the friendship of other countries," Adrina told her, "When you are Queen, there will be times when you must greet guest that you would rather not." 

"And more likely than not that guest will be Riley," Mecale quipped. 

"Quit whining and go get ready," Adrina ordered with a grin, "I had the servants lay out a dress for you." 

Mecale sighed and made her way into the palace with Siri. The two girls went their separate ways when the main hall branched off into two different hallways. To the left was Folken and Adrina's wing of the castle and to the right was Van and Hitomi's. The back of the castle was where the servant's rooms were and the front of the palace consisted of communal places such as the dining hall, the main sitting room, etc. In the middle of the palace were guest rooms and also the few rooms where Zane, Merle and their children had taken up residence. 

Siri disappeared down the right hallway and Mecale made her way down the left. She passed a few doors before reaching her room. She pushed open the door and found a dark red dress laid out on her bed. The sleeves were long and made of a dark red, see-through fabric. The bodice was form fitting and she could already tell by the drastic plunge of the neckline that it was going to show more skin than she would've liked. 

_Is it just a coincidence that this dress is Riley's favorite color?_ she thought as she closed the door behind her. She sighed. _I doubt it._

Mecale lifted the garment off the bed and took it behind her changing screen. She reluctantly stripped off the rather plain, but comfortable, blue dress she had been wearing and squeezed into the blood red gown. Just as she had anticipated, the dress showed more than enough cleavage. As if the plunging neckline of the dress didn't draw enough attention, the purple dragon necklace her parents had given her at birth twinkled in the pale light. Of course, she could take the necklace off but that was unthinkable. She had never taken the necklace off and didn't plan to for this occasion. 

_First she makes me attend the arrival and then she has me dress like a whore. Why is my mother doing this to me?_

After finding the shoes that went with the dress next to her bed, Mecale ran a brush quickly through her hair and looked at herself in the mirror above her vanity table. Like always, the two blue streaks on either side of her face stood out against her chocolaty brown hair. When she was a child, she always hated the strands of odd colored hair. People would always tell her that she looked exactly like her mother, except for, of course, the two pieces of pale blue hair that framed her face. Mecale loved and respected her mother more than anyone and had always enjoyed it when people compared her to her mother. When people pointed out the one difference between mother and daughter, the blue locks, Mecale began to despise them. When she was six, she had cut all the blue hairs from her head, hoping they would never grow back. They did, of course, but in the meantime she had been left with two bald spots on either side of her head. Now Mecale had come to love the odd streaks of color. They were one of the things that defined her and made her unique. They were also the only physical trait that told she was her father's daughter. 

There were, of course, other things that she had inherited from her father, such as his calm and collected demeanor. Not many things upset Mecale. Unfortunately, Riley was one of those things that did. She turned away from the mirror and decided that she had better get going before her mother came looking for her. 

She left her bedroom and headed down the corridor back towards the main hallway. When she reached it, she saw Siri waiting for her. When she saw Mecale, her dark eyebrows arched and green eyes met lavender ones. 

"Whoa Mecale," Siri joked, "Isn't that dress a little revealing?" 

"Tell that to my mother," Mecale frowned, "she's the one who picked it out." 

"I wish my mother would let me wear dresses like that," Siri commented. 

"No you don't," Mecale grumbled and tried to adjust the neckline of the dress, "I feel like I'm going to fall out of this thing!" 

"Don't do it after the guests arrive," Siri teased, "If you think Riley chases you now, just think of how bad it would get if he saw the goods." 

"Oh please." Mecale rolled her eyes and the cousins headed to the front sitting room where everyone was gathered to await the guests. Everyone looked up as they entered. 

"Wow Mecale," Merle joked, "Nice dress." 

"Don't you think it's a little…much?" Hitomi asked gently. 

"I don't think it's enough," Folken replied, "I think you should go put something more decent on." Mecale was happy to oblige but her mother spoke before she had the chance to leave. 

"Oh be quiet Folken," Adrina ordered, "the dress looks lovely on her and besides, I didn't hear you complain when I wore it." 

"That's different," Folken insisted, "you're my wife, she's my daughter." 

Mecale looked back and forth between her parents as they argue over whether or not she should change into something else. In the end, Adrina won and Mecale was forced to keep the dress although the fact that it had belonged to her mother made it more appealing to her, even if she was supposed to be wearing it for Riley. 

Mecale sat down on one of the couches in the room to await the arrival of the guests. She had barely settled into the cushions when she was pounced on by Dolyn and Zara. 

"Will you play hide-and-seek with us now?" Dolyn asked. 

"Yeah, will you?" Zara echoed. 

"You two leave her alone," Merle ordered, "she has to wait here for the guests. She can't go running off with you." 

"It's okay," Mecale smiled, eager to escape the fate that awaited her, "I can go play with them." She started to get up. 

"Sit!" Adrina said briskly. 

Mecale sighed forlornly and sunk back into the couch. The twins climbed up next to her, one on either side and sat quietly, which was quite uncharacteristic of them. 

The two cat twins were perfect mixtures of their parents. Dolyn, who was older by three minutes, had his father's green hair, his mother's blue eyes, his father's spotted markings and his mother's dark fur. Zara was just the opposite. She had her mother's pink hair, her father's gold eyes, her mother's striped markings and her father's pale fur. The only thing the nine-year-old twins shared was their mother's sense of mischief. 

As the adults chatted and the children sat silently by, thinking of all the other things they could be doing at the moment, a messenger came into the parlor. Once he had everyone's attention, he relayed his message. 

"The King and Queen of Asturia's entourage has just entered the city." 

Folken thanked the messenger and everyone moved outside to wait. As they stood in front of the palace, more than one knight or stable boy who passed them let his gaze linger on Mecale a second longer than it should have. She was constantly tugging on the neckline of the dress, hoping to pull it up to cover a little more flesh. Every time she managed to succeed, the dress would just slip down again. 

"It looks fine," Siri assured after seeing her cousin's struggle. 

"That's easy for you to say," Mecale grumbled, "You're not the one flashing the entire courtyard." 

"Here they come!" Hitomi announced suddenly and pointed to the city below. A plume of dirt could be seen moving down through the middle of the city. It rapidly approached the palace and slowed as it entered the gates until the entourage finally came to a stop in front of the palace. Everyone hurried over to the carriage to greet the guests and Mecale shuffled reluctantly behind. 

A servant opened the carriage door and the youngest princess of Asturia, Alexia, exited first. Next came Erika, the middle daughter, then Kolena, the oldest daughter. All three girls were blonde with blue eyes and looked almost exactly like their mother. After the three princesses had exited, Queen Millerna gracefully stepped out of the carriage, followed by King Allen. Last (and definitely least in Mecale's opinion) Riley stepped out of the transport. The second he was clear of it, his eyes began to search the crowd. 

Riley looked very much like his father. He had the same blue eyes and golden blonde hair, although he wore his much shorter than the ex-knight, usually about down to his shoulders. He was by no means an ugly man, even Mecale would agree to that, it was his personality and constant pursuit of her that made Mecale dislike him. 

Once the Royal Family of Asturia was clear of the carriage, greetings rang out and hugs were exchanged. The adults all crowded around each other and expressed their happiness at being together again while the children formed their own groups. The twins and Alexia were talking excitedly near the entrance of the palace. Mecale, Siri, Kolena and Erika were standing in between the younger children and the adults. The four girls had been friends since childhood and were usually found together during such visits. Riley was standing near the adults with Golan an the two were chatting. 

After a few minutes, the adults made their way into the palace and the children followed. When the girls started for the entrance, Mecale heard Riley fall into step next to her. 

"May I?" he asked and held his arm out to her. 

"Get a life, Riley," Kolena told him. 

Riley glared at his sister and then smiled down at Mecale. Knowing her wouldn't give up, Mecale looped her arm with his and he led her into the palace with the others. 

_This is going to be a long day,_ she thought. 

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That night at dinner, the four families gathered in the dining room for a huge feast in honor of the Schezars. The adults were at one end of the table and the children were at the other. Golan and Riley marked the transition between the adults and their children. Luckily for Mecale, she had managed to sit next to Golan but was still right across from Riley. Next to Mecale sat Siri, then the twins. On Riley's right side sat Merle and on his left side were his sisters. The food was served and everyone began to chat. 

Earlier, Mecale had managed to steer clear of Riley and avoid a conversation with him, but now it was impossible to dodge him and she waited for the inevitable. Sure enough, as soon as the food was served he began to talk. 

"That is a beautiful dress, Mecale," Riley complimented, "It looks absolutely stunning on you." 

"Thank you," Mecale mumbled without looking up. 

"And it's even my favorite color," Riley continued, "did you plan that?" 

"My mother picked it out," Mecale informed. 

"She has very good taste in clothing," Riley said. 

"I'm sure she'd appreciate that," Mecale stated. She noticed that none of the other children, except for the three youngest, were talking. They were all listening to herself and Riley. 

"Mecale my darling," Riley started and Mecale cringed. She thought she heard a chuckle from Siri, but she wasn't sure. "I was thinking that tomorrow we could go shopping in the village. What do you say?" 

"I'd love to Riley, but the girls and I already decided that we're going to go for a horseback ride into the mountains," Mecale told him. She saw the confused look on Kolena's face and hoped she wouldn't say anything. 

"Oh." The disappointment in Riley's voice was obvious. "Well, I guess I will come with you then." 

"Actually Riley," Siri interrupted, "it's kind of a girl thing. You understand, don't you?" 

"Of course." The frown on Riley's face showed his immense disappointment. He wasn't used to not getting his way. 

"Don't worry Riley," Golan grinned, "that'll give us time to spar." 

"Yes," Riley agreed with a forced smile, "that would be delightful." It was a widely known fact that Riley hated fighting. While he was blessed with his father's natural talent, he never had the ambition to better himself with a sword. 

Riley continued to pout about his rejection for the rest of dinner and didn't say much to anyone, giving Mecale and Siri the chance to catch up with the Princesses. After dinner, the three youngest children were sent to bed and everyone else moved to the sitting room to chat some more. The adults once again formed their own group while the children talked amongst themselves or listened to what the adults were saying. Riley had recovered from his pouting spell and was now shamelessly flirting with Mecale, who pretty much ignored him. 

They had been in the sitting room for about half an hour when suddenly Riley stood up and began to clap his hands. "Excuse me," he called out, "may I have everyone's attention?" The conversations stopped and all eyes were on the young prince. "I was going to do this tomorrow but I just can't wait any longer." Riley's eyes fixed on Mecale. "I have been chasing after Mecale since we were children. Tonight, I believe it is time to end the chase." Riley smiled down at her. "Mecale Inara de Fanel, will you marry me?" 

The room was so silent that if someone had dropped a pin the impact of it hitting the carpeted floor would've sounded like the roar of a dragon. Mecale stared up at Riley, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, trying to comprehend what he had just said. Finally, she said the only word that came into her mind. 

"What?" 

Riley seemed a little unnerved by her lack of an answer and his smile faltered a bit. "I asked you to marry me, Mecale." 

Mecale's gaze shifted around the room. Everyone except his parents seemed to be as shocked as she was. Apparently Allen and Millerna had known his intentions because they were both smiling. Mecale's gaze finally returned to Riley and she took a deep breath. 

"Riley, I…" She trailed off, searching desperately fro the words. He smiled at her expectantly. "I need some time to think about this Riley. If you'll excuse me…" Without waiting for a reply, Mecale leapt from her seat and hurried out of the room. 

She started to head for her bedroom but decided against it. Without a doubt, someone would be in within the next twenty minutes to talk to her. What she really needed now was to be alone with her thoughts. She turned around and headed out of the palace. She took off through the forest and towards the clearing. 

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Mecale's sudden retreat broke the room out of the trance it was in. Everyone began talking at once, asking each other if they knew about Riley's intentions and wondering what Mecale's answer would be. After about five minutes, Siri stood up. 

"May I be excused?" 

Kolena and Erika jumped up next to her. "May we be excused also?" 

They were granted permission to leave and were headed out the door when Adrina stopped them. 

"Girls, could you check on Mecale? You know, make sure she's all right?" the brunette queen asked. 

"Sure." 

The girls left the parlor and headed down the main hall. 

"She probably won't be in her room," Siri admitted as they turned down the left corridor. 

"Why not?" Erika questioned. 

"When something is bothering Mecale, she always goes up to the clearing in the woods," Siri informed. 

"But it's dark out," Kolena reminded. 

"It doesn't matter," Siri insisted, "If she's not in her room, that's where she'll be." The girls came to a halt outside Mecale's door and Siri knocked. "Mecale, it's me. Can I come in?" There was no reply so Siri opened the door and wasn't surprised to find the room empty. 

"What do we do now?" Kolena inquired. 

"Go after her," Siri replied and the girls headed back towards the main hall. 

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Mecale reached the clearing and sat down heavily. Her mind was working overtime and yet no solution would come to her. She disliked Riley, despised him, but marrying him would do wonders for the economy of Fanelia. Asturia was one of the largest and most powerful countries in all of Gaea. Fanelia was one of the smallest. The economy of Fanelia was fair but hey would never be rich like Asturia. Most of the trade and imports Fanelia received were done as favors by countries who remembered Van, Hitomi, Folken and Adrina's part in the wars with Zaibach and sold them goods cheap or traded for things that were less valuable than what they could get elsewhere. 

As these people got older and new rulers took over the countries, the trade and imports might not be as friendly as they were now. People forgot with time and may not want to supply Fanelia with goods at a cheaper price than other countries. By the time she was ready to take over as Queen, the entire country could be on the verge of an economic crisis. If she married Riley, however, Asturia would always be there to help Fanelia. 

"What am I going to do?" Mecale asked in desperation. She folded her hands together and closed her eyes. "God, please, help me. Help me decide which chose to make." Mecale felt a warm sensation on her chest and opened her eyes. She was shocked to see that the purple stone in her dragon necklace was glowing. Before she could figure out what was going on, a bluish-white light surrounded her and she began to feel weightless. 

"What's going on?!" she shouted as she floated off the ground. Suddenly, it hit her. The blue light, the one her aunt Hitomi had told her about. But why had it come for her? "No!" Mecale screamed, "I don't want to go! Put me down!" 

The light ignored her and she continued to rise into the sky. She rose higher and higher until she was above the trees. Suddenly, the light disappeared into the sky, taking Mecale with it. 

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Siri, Kolena and Erika stopped dead in their tracks as the bright column of light erupted from the forest and shot into the sky. 

"What is that?" Erika gasped. 

"Come on," Kolena urged and tugged at her sister's arm, "let's get out of here!" 

"We can't," Erika insisted, "Mecale might be in trouble." 

"The blue light," Siri murmured, "she's gone." 

"What?!" the sisters exclaimed. 

Without explaining, Siri turned around and dashed back towards the palace. Kolena and Erika didn't hesitate to follow her. 

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Inside the sitting room, the adults were still chatting about the proposal when suddenly Hitomi's eyes lost focus and she gasped almost inaudibly. Van noticed the change first and leaned close to her. 

"Hitomi, what is it?" 

"Mecale…" 

Hearing their daughter's name, Folken and Adrina turned to the light haired woman. They noticed Hitomi's trance-like state and crowded around her. This got the attention of the others in the room and everyone focused on the girl from the Mystic Moon. 

"Hitomi, what's wrong?" Adrina urged, "is something wrong with Mecale?" 

Hitomi moaned pitifully. "The blue light…She's gone." 


	3. The Mystic Moon

**Chapter 2: the Mystic Moon**

  


Adrina knelt down in front of Hitomi. "What do you mean she's gone? Where did she go?" 

"The blue light…" Hitomi repeated. 

A look of panic crossed Adrina's features. "No." 

"She's gone," Hitomi said again. Her eyes focused and she took a deep breath. "Oh no! Mecale!" 

"Where did she go?" Adrina demanded, "tell me Hitomi, where did she go?" 

Hitomi was slumped against Van, who had his arms around her. She looked up and her eyes were swimming with tears. "To the Mystic Moon." 

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The sun was just peeking over the horizon and bathing the quiet beach town in the first orange glow of the day. The ocean and the sky above it were still dark but the rays glinted off the surface of the rolling water, making it look as if it were covered in diamonds. 

Most of the town was still asleep but in a one-bedroom apartment a few blocks from the ocean, Kouji Susumu tied the laces of his Nikes and headed outside to meet the day. He always woke up before dawn to start the morning with a jog/run up to a nearby cliff that overlooked the ocean. It wasn't that he needed the exercise but he had inherited the love of running from his father. 

With his Discman in the pocket of his sweater and the headphones on his ears blasting the angry lyrics of Linkin Park, Kouji sprinted down a few blocks from his house to a dirt road that marked his usual jogging path. The path to the summit of the cliff was somewhat steep and Kouji slowed his pace to a jog before ascending the dirt track. 

After about ten minutes, Kouji crested the top of the hill and headed towards the place where a large patch of grass grew. This was where he would sit and watch the ocean every morning as the sun began its daily trek to the west, where it would eventually sink into the sea. As Kouji approached the grass, he noticed something lying near the road. From where he was, it looked like a dark red pile of rags but as he got closer, he realized it was a person. He pulled the headphones off his ears and ran to them. 

"Hey!" Kouji called as he bent down next to the person. They were lying with their face away from him and when he turned them over he saw that it was a girl no older than he was, but probably a year or two younger. She had brown hair and pale skin. He also noticed two streaks of blue in the hair around her face. He shook her gently. 

"Hey!" Kouji shouted again, "Wake up! Can you hear me? Hey!" His mind began to race with the possibilities of what could've happened to her. He had already seen that she was breathing, but she could've been raped or assaulted in some other way. He looked over her body and could see no visible signs of trauma. Her face was untouched, as was the skin around her throat and chest. It didn't look as if she had been robbed because a valuable looking purple stone set into a dragon still hung down on the pale skin of her throat. Kouji noticed the low neckline of her dress and it occurred to him that she might be a prostitute. _Only is California,_ he thought dryly. 

Once again, he shook her and called to her. This time, the girl groaned and slowly opened her eyes. They were lavender, the strangest color eyes Kouji had ever seen, and they locked with his dark brown ones. He stared down at her and said nothing. 

---------------------------------------------------- 

Mecale heard a voice calling to her. It was a male voice and her first thought was that it was Golan trying to wake her up. She groaned in frustration and then opened her eyes. She was shocked to find herself staring into the eyes of a stranger. The man's eyes were a dark brown, darker even than her uncle Van's. His hair was dark also, black actually, with hints of red among the ebony. It was currently plastered to his head with sweat and there was a look of concern in his eyes. 

Suddenly afraid of this unfamiliar man, Mecale pulled herself into a sitting position incase she should have to defend herself. Her movement must have broken his concentration because he blinked a few times. 

"Hey, are you okay?" 

Mecale stared at him in confusion and surprise. He had spoken English! She had been taught the language, along with her cousins, by her Aunt Hitomi but why did this man speak it? *Author's Note: I know that Hitomi is Japanese, therefore would speak Japanese instead of English but it makes it easier to say she spoke English. For the sake of the story, we'll just pretend everyone on the Mystic Moon speaks English.* 

Obviously confused by her silence, he tried again. "Are you okay?" 

"Y…yes," Mecale replied in English. 

"What were you doing laying on the side of the road like that?" he asked. 

"I don't know," Mecale answered, "where am I?" 

"Judging by you accent, I'm gonna guess you're not from around here," the man offered, "This is Seaport." 

Mecale's brow furrowed in confusion. Seaport? She had never heard of such a place. 

Seeing the look of confusion on her face, the man added, "California?" The confusion remained. "USA?" Still no sign of recognition. "North America?" Still nothing. "Earth?" 

Mecale's eyes shot wide open as she recognized the last word the man said. _I'm really on the Mystic Moon! What am I going to do?_

Seeing the strange reaction she had to the word "earth", he began to doubt that she was in fact all right. "Are you sure you're okay?" 

"Yes," Mecale answered quickly, "I'm fine." 

Thinking that maybe she wasn't all there, he asked, "What's your name?" 

"Mecale." 

"Mecale what?" 

"Fanel." 

"Mecale Fanel," the man repeated. He then smiled and stuck his hand out to her, "Nice to meet you Mecale, my name's Kouji." 

Mecale shook his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well Kouji." 

"Well Mecale," Kouji started, "You wanna tell me what you're doing laying on the side of the road?" 

_Uh oh,_ Mecale thought, _What am I going to tell him, that I fell out of the sky? He'll think I'm crazy!_

"Uh," Mecale stammered, "I don't know." 

"What do you mean?" Kouji asked, "You can't remember what happened." 

_Sounds good to me._ "No, I can't remember." 

"Where do you live?" Kouji questioned, "I'll take you home." 

_Dammit! What's with all the questions?_ "I don't know where I live." 

"You don't remember?" 

"No." 

"How old are you Mecale?" 

_Finally, one I can answer._ "Seventeen." 

"I think you should go to the hospital and let them check you out," Kouji suggested, "You might've hit your head or been drugged." 

"That's not necessary," Mecale insisted, "I'm fine, really." 

"Something had to've caused your partial amnesia," Kouji told her, "You could have a concussion." 

"I'm telling you, I'm fine," Mecale repeated, "I don't need to go to a hospital. Besides, I'm sure this amnesia thing will pass soon." 

Kouji sighed, knowing it would be pointless to try and force her to go to the hospital. "All right fine but will you at least come back to my apartment with me? I have a friend who works at the police station. He can check and see if your parents have filed a missing person's report." 

_Good luck with that._ "All right." 

Kouji stood up and offered his hand to Mecale. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. Now that she was standing, he looked her over once more. He saw that the dress se was wearing looked like something out of a medieval play. His eyes made their way back up to her face and he saw that she was watching him warily. 

"Something wrong?" Mecale inquired. 

"No," Kouji assured. As an afterthought, he added, "Cool streaks." 

Mecale touched one of the pale blue tresses. "Thank you." 

"Come on," Kouji turned and started back down the hill. Mecale followed after him. 

---------------------------------------------- 

"We have to do something!" 

Folken paced across the room for the fiftieth time. 

"Pacing isn't going to bring her back!" Riley snapped. Folken shot a warning look at the boy, who paled and shrank in his seat. 

"There isn't much we can do but pray that she makes it back safely," Hitomi said quietly. 

Folken, Adrina, Van, Hitomi, Merle, Zane and Riley had been in the sitting room since the night before, trying to think of a plan to bring Mecale back. Their first thought was to go to Earth to look for her. This idea was turned down when Hitomi told them that the Mystic Moon was a huge planet and without knowing where Mecale had gone, they could search for her forever and never find her. Every plan they had concocted had been shot down for one reason or another and just a moment ago, Van had stated the terrible reality that none of them wanted to face. They would just have to wait for Mecale to return on her own. 

"What is she can't come back on her own?" Folken demanded, "What if she's hurt or…" He trailed off, not able to voice his worst fears about his only child. 

"Don't worry," Merle comforted half-heartedly, "She'll find her way back. She's a smart girl. She'll be all right." 

----------------------------------------------- 

"Here we are," Kouji announced as he opened the door to his second floor apartment. He stepped aside so Mecale could enter first. She entered far enough so that he could close the door and then took in her surroundings. 

The apartment was quite small by her standards but as apartments go it was moderately sized. The majority of the first room consisted of the living room. The carpet was dark brown and the walls were off white. In the living room was a tan couch and two chairs that faced a large entertainment center against the wall. In front of the couch was a small coffee table. On the left side of the couch, directly across from the door, were two large windows that looked out onto the ocean. The tan drapes hung over them were pulled open, showing the view. 

Next to the door on the left was a small kitchen. It had a white tile floor and was separated from the living room by a counter. Three chairs were set up to provide a table at the counter. In the wall that ran parallel to the kitchen was a hallway that led back to the bathroom and bedroom. 

Kouji walked past her and took something out of his pocket. He sat it on the counter and Mecale was delighted to recognize it as Discman, much like the one Hitomi had. 

"So," Mecale started, "You live here by yourself?" 

"Yeah," Kouji answered. 

"How old are you?" 

"Nineteen." He turned back to where she still stood by the door and mentioned toward the living room. "Have a seat. I'm going to call my friend at the police station." 

Mecale nodded and made her way into the living room. She gracefully sat down on the couch and folded her hands in her lap. Kouji picked up the phone that was set up on a small table near the door and dialed a number. Mecale was silently thanking God that she had been so interested in Hitomi's life on the Mystic Moon when she was younger. As a result, she could identify most of the strange devices around the room by remembering Hitomi's description of them. She strained her ears and could hear Kouji talking to someone named Tommy. 

"Yeah, hi Tommy," Kouji said into the phone, "I wanted to ask you a favor. I came across a girl this morning and she doesn't remember where she lives. I thought maybe her parents might've filed a missing person's report. Her name is Mecale Fanel and she's seventeen." He paused and she assumed Tommy was checking for her name. "Nothing? Okay, thanks Tommy. All right, I'll talk to you later." Kouji hung up the phone and walked over to the couch. He sat down next to her. 

"He didn't find your name on the missing person's list," Kouji relayed, "but a person has to be missing for forty-eight hours before they can be reported as missing. Maybe you haven't been gone that long." 

Mecale agreed, although she knew that wasn't the reason. 

Kouji sighed. "Well, since you can't remember where you live and no one is looking for you, I can't just turn you out on the streets. If you want, you can stay here until we figure everything out." 

Mecale's eyes lit up. "Really?" 

Kouji smiled when he saw her reaction. "Yeah." 

"Thank you!" Ever since she had realized she was on the Mystic Moon, she was wondering exactly what she was going to do. Now that she had a place to stay, a huge load had been lifted off her shoulders. At least she was safe for the time being. 

"You're welcome," Kouji grinned. He stood up. "Are you hungry? I'll make you some breakfast." 

"Oh," Mecale nodded, "Thank you." 

Kouji went back to the kitchen and began pulling food out of the fridge and sitting it next to the electric stove. As he began pulling pots and pans out of a cupboard over the sink, Mecale wandered over and sat down on one of the chairs at the counter. 

Kouji put a few pieces of sausage into a pan and put it on the electric burner. "How do you like your eggs?" 

"Scrambled," Mecale answered. 

Kouji nodded and broke four eggs into a plastic bowl. He whisked them quickly and then sprinkled cheese into the bowl. He poured the contents into another pan on the stove and began to ten to the food. When it was almost finished, he put four pieces of break into the toaster on the counter next to the stove. 

Once everything was done, Kouji put half the sausage and eggs onto one blue plate and the rest on another. He then put two pieces of toast on each plate and brought them over to the counter. He walked back over to the fridge and opened it. 

"What would you like to drink?" Kouji asked over his shoulder. "I have water, milk, orange juice, coffee…" 

"Orange juice please." 

Kouji poured her a glass of O.J. and poured a glass of milk for himself. He brought the two glasses to the table along with a tub of butter and a jar of jelly. 

They ate their breakfast in virtual silence as neither one of them really knew what to say to the other. Sometimes Kouji would look up at her as if he wanted to say something but hen thought better of it and continued eating. After they were done with the meal, Kouji put the dishes in the sink and turned to Mecale. 

"I'm going to go take a shower," Kouji informed, "make yourself at home." 

Mecale nodded and Kouji disappeared down the hallway. A few minutes later, she could hear water running somewhere towards the back part of the house. She stood up and wandered back into the living room. She sat down on the couch and picked up a small, rectangular, black device with lots of buttons and letters. She knew it was a remote control for something, probably the TV. She pushed the large "ON" button and sure enough, the 27" blank screen in front of her glowed to life. On it was a man dressed in a gray suit holding a microphone. Behind him were the charred remains of a building. He seemed to be talking to no one. "We still don't know what started the fire, but the local fire department suspects arson. Live from Sherman Oaks, I'm Chuck Henry, Channel 4 News." 

Mecale found the channel button and pushed it. Another news program. She pushed it again. More news. Again. The screen filled with color as an animated child with huge eyes began to speak. "Agumon, digivolve!" The scene changed to show a little orange dinosaur-type creature. It was surrounded by strange symbols and then it turned into a large orange dinosaur. She kept going, looking for something suitable to watch. She was still clicking through the channels when Kouji joined her on the couch, his hair still wet from the shower. 

"Find anything good to watch?" he asked. 

"No," Mecale replied. 

By the door, the phone began to ring. Kouji jumped up and answered it. After a brief conversation, he hung up and walked over to the couch. 

"I'm really sorry," Kouji started, "but that was my agent. He set me up a huge interview luncheon today and didn't bother to tell me about it. I have to go. Are you gonna be okay here by yourself?" 

"Sure." 

"Good." Kouji raced into the back of the house and emerged about fifteen minutes later in Khaki pants, a white T-shirt and sunglasses. He had spiked his hair and had a black folder full of papers and a set of keys in his hand. "I'm really, really sorry about this." 

"It's okay," Mecale assured with a smile. 

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Kouji told her as he moved towards the door. "If you get hungry, there's food in the fridge and the cupboards. I'm gonna lock the door behind me. Don't open it for anyone, okay?" 

"Okay." 

He opened the door. "I'll see you later." 

"Bye!" Mecale called as he left. 

The door shut and she heard the lock click into place. She turned back to the TV and continued surfing through the channels. 

---------------------------------------------- 

"I'm sorry it took me so long," were the first words out of Kouji's mouth when he returned to the apartment. Mecale turned around on the couch and saw that in addition to the black folder, he was carrying a brown paper bag that said "Burger King". He closed the door behind him with his foot and sat his armload down on the counter. "I had no idea it would take that long." 

Outside, the sun could be seen sinking into the ocean, which on the west coast in summer meant it was almost 9:00pm. Mecale turned off the TV and walked over to the counter to see what Kouji had brought from Burger King. She had seen countless commercials for the place, most advertising their "Famous Whopper." It had looked delicious and Mecale found herself hoping he had brought her one. 

"I figured you'd probably be pretty hungry so I stopped at Burger King and got us each a Whopper and fries." 

_YES!_ Mecale thought as Kouji pulled a wrapped hamburger and fries out of the bag. He sat them down in front of her at the counter and pulled out his own. He walked over to the fridge. 

"You want a soda?" 

"Yes," Mecale answered, "Mountain Dew please." Earlier she had seen a commercial for Mountain Dew and found it rather amusing. When she had found the soda in his refrigerator, she had tried it and discovered she liked the taste as much as the commercial said she would. 

He brought her the soda and sat down next to her. "I can't believe that luncheon lasted so long." He popped the top on his can of soda and she did the same. "The guy would just not stop talking! And then after the lunch, which lasted almost three hours, he takes me to this bar where he proceeded to get plastered and told me his entire life story. Trust me, I would've been better off not knowing. I finally managed to sneak out when he went to the bathroom. I gave the bartender a twenty and told him to call the guy a cab. It was all worth it though. I'm pretty sure he's interested." 

"Interested in what?" Mecale asked between bites of the hamburger, which was just as tasty as she had imagined. 

"My script," Kouji replied. She stared at him blankly. "That's right, I didn't tell you. I'm a screenwriter, or at least I'm trying to be. I write scripts for movies." 

"Really?" 

"Yeah," Kouji confirmed, "I've only sold one, right after I came out here but I think the guy I met with today might want newest script." 

"You seem excited," Mecale commented as she sipped her soda. 

"I am," Kouji informed, "I love writing. It's the whole reason I came out here to California." Kouji suddenly realized how odd it was to be telling his life story to a girl he had known for no more than half a day. For some reason, he felt like he could trust her and felt comfortable telling her things that normally he would've kept to himself. 

The two of them finished their dinner and Kouji cleaned up the counter. "Well, I'm beat. You're probably pretty tired too." 

"A little," Mecale admitted. 

"Well, I only have one bedroom," Kouji began, "so you can sleep in my room. I'll take the couch." 

"No, I can sleep on the couch," Mecale insisted. 

"What kind of gentleman would I be if I let you sleep on the couch?" Kouji questioned with a grin, "Now come on." He led her down the hallway to the last door. He opened it to reveal the bedroom. The room was quite small and contained a bed, two nightstands, dresser, a desk with a computer on it and a closet in the far wall. "I'm guessing you don't want to sleep in that dress." Kouji commented. He walked over to the large dresser across from the bed and opened a drawer. He pulled out a T-shirt and a pair of dark blue sweatpants. He turned around and handed them to her. "The pants are going to be way too big for you but if you pull the cord thing tight and tie it, they should be okay." 

"Thank you," Mecale said and took the clothes from him. 

"No problem." He picked out a pair of gray sweatpants for himself and walked to the door. "See you in the morning." 

"Good night." 

"Good night." Kouji left the room and shut the door behind him. Once he was gone, Mecale changed into the clothes he had given her and crawled into the Queen-sized bed. She knew she should be trying to find a way back to Gaea, but at the moment she was too tired. _I'll worry about it tomorrow,_ she thought and drifted off to sleep. 

************************************** 

First things first, I don't own Nike, Channel 4 News, Digimon, Burger King or Mountain Dew. Anyways, thank you Gwuinny for reviewing, I knew you would. You're the greatest. I hope you are enjoying this little ficcy so far. I just had a thought, Allen and Millerna's children would be cousins to Prince Chid but they would also be his half brother and sisters. Creepy huh? Oh, and thank you to Klutzy-girl for reviewing the prologue of this fic. I don't know if you're still reading, but if you are, thanks! 


	4. Shopping

**Chapter 3: Shopping**

  


The next morning, Mecale was awakened by the sound of wood scraping on wood. She opened her eyes and was momentarily confused by her surrounding. When her eyes fell on Kouji, she remembered where she was. 

Kouji was standing at the dresser with his back to her. The scraping sound she had heard was him opening one of the drawers. He wore only a pair of gray sweatpants and she could see the muscles in his back ripple as he pulled some clothes out of the drawer. He pushed it shut after he was done and when he turned around, he noticed she was awake. 

"Sorry," he apologized, "I didn't mean to wake you up. I was just getting my jogging clothes." 

"It's okay," Mecale told him. 

"I go for a jog every morning," he explained and picked up his Nikes from where they were by the dresser, "I'll be gone for about half an hour. If you want, you can take a shower while I'm gone. There are clean towels and washcloths in the closet across from the bathroom." Kouji exited the room, leaving Mecale along to fully wake up. She yawned and stretched, then rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She heard the front door open and close and figured Kouji had left for his jog. Mecale pushed the blankets off of her and got out of the bed. She picked up her dress and headed down the hallway to the bathroom. She stopped to get a towel and washcloth, then proceeded. 

Inside the bathroom, she put the washcloth in the shower and put the towel and her dress on the counter. She fiddled around with the shower knobs for a while until she got the right temperature, then took of her bedclothes and stepped in. 

After the invigorating shower, she dried off and put the red dress back on. After the comfortable clothes she had slept in, the dress seemed too revealing once again and she wished she had changed when her father had told her to. The thought of her father suddenly brought back the thought that she needed to find a way home. From what she knew about traveling between the two worlds, it was controlled by human thought and emotion. All she had to do was will herself back home and she would go. She didn't want to try now for fear that people would see the column of light and panic. Worse, if people realized it was coming from Kouji's house, they might think he was a witch or something and it would be bad news. She decided to wait until late at night when almost everyone would be asleep. 

Mecale found a comb on the counter in the bathroom and ran it through her hair. Once all of the tangles had been removed, she took her nightclothes back into the bedroom and put them on the bed. After that was done, she went out into the living room to wait for Kouji. 

----------------------------------------- 

"Good night Mecale." 

"Good night Kouji." 

The raven-haired man left the room and shut the door. Instead of changing into the sweatpants and T-shirt like the night before, Mecale sat down on the bed to wait for the right time to leave. 

The day had gone by with Kouji and Mecale watching TV and getting to know each other better. For dinner, Kouji had ordered pizza and Mecale was surprised to find that she liked it even better than the hamburger the night before. She was almost sad to leave. 

After about an hour of waiting, Mecale began to get antsy. Finally she couldn't stand sitting still anymore and went over to Kouji's desk. She found a blank piece of paper and a pen. She sat down at the desk and wrote a note to Kouji, thanking him for his hospitality and explaining that she had gone home. She would leave it on the bed where he was sure to find it. 

After the letter had been written and she placed it on the still made bed and began to pace the room. Every few minutes se glanced at the clock radio on the nightstand and every time, the last glowing red number had progressed only one or two digits since the last time she had looked. 

Finally getting tired of pacing, Mecale sat back down on the bed. She glanced over at the clock and sighed at the time. As she looked away, something next to the clock caught her eye. It was a book. She picked it up and read the title. "Watchers" by Dean Koontz. She read the back and, mildly intrigued, opened to the first page. At least it was something to do to pass the time. 

Three hours later, Mecale was so entranced by the book that she had forgotten why she had stayed up in the first place. As she turned the page, her eyes happened to catch the glowing red numerals on the clock. They read 1:53. Remembering her plan, Mecale put the book aside, closed her eyes and folded her hands. 

"Please God," she prayed, "please help me get back home." She waited for a few seconds and when nothing happened, she opened her eyes. She was still on Kouji's bed in the darkened room. She hadn't returned to Gaea. In truth, she hadn't expected to. She was only praying half-heartedly. She was enjoying her stay on the Mystic Moon and wasn't quite ready to end it yet. She assumed it wouldn't hurt anything to stay for a few more days. 

Mecale tore up the note she had written for Kouji and threw it into the bedroom trash. She put the book she had been reading back on the nightstand and changed into the T-shirt and sweatpants. Once this was done, she climbed into bed and fell asleep. 

------------------------------------------ 

"Well, you've officially been missing for over 48 hours," Kouji told Mecale as he emerged from the bathroom, his hair damp from a shower. "If you parents had filed a missing person's report, Tommy would've called. My conclusion is that you brought here from someplace else, probably another country, and no one is looking for you. Which means, you'll be staying with me until you remember where it is you came from." 

Mecale stared up at him from the couch. "You're really going to let me stay here?" 

"I couldn't very well turn you out on the street, could I?" Kouji asked with a grin. Mecale shook her head, also smiling. "So now that we know you're staying for a while, I think it's time we got you some clothes and stuff. You can't wear that dress forever." 

"But I don't have any money," Mecale reminded. 

"Don't worry about it," Kouji insisted, "I have money." 

"But…" 

"No buts," Kouji interrupted, "you need clothes so I'll buy them for you." 

Mecale nodded, knowing it would do no good to argue. 

"Now that that's settled," he walked over to the phone, "My friend Lisa has a sister who's about your size. I'll ask her if she can bring over some clothes to take you shopping in." 

"Is she your girlfriend?" Mecale asked casually. 

"God no!" Kouji exclaimed, "I met her through my agent. She's actually his daughter. Anyway, we've been friends for almost two years now." 

"So do you think she'll help us?" Mecale inquired. 

"Of course she will," Kouji assured, "Watch." He picked up the phone and dialed a number. After a brief conversation he hung up and smiled. "She said she'll be over in ten minutes with the clothes. She also insists on going shopping with us. She's gonna take us to the mall." 

"Sounds like fun," Mecale grinned. 

They sat down to wait and exactly ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Kouji opened the door to reveal a short, skinny blonde woman. She had some clothes draped over her arm, a pair of shoes in her hand and a purse over her shoulder. She smiled. 

"Hey! Good to see you Kouji," Lisa greeted. 

Kouji stepped aside so Lisa could enter. "Hi Lisa." He motioned to where Mecale had stood up and walked over. "Lisa, this is Mecale." 

Mecale extended her hand to the shorter woman. "Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you." 

"Hey Mecale," Lisa shook her hand, "Wicked streaks." 

"Thank you." 

"Well, I can see why you needed some clothes," Lisa teased and motioned to the T-shirt and sweatpants Mecale was wearing. "Here. These should fit you." She handed Mecale the clothes and shoes. "Go get changed. I can't wait to hit the mall!" 

Mecale took the clothes into the bathroom and changed. The outfit consisted of a pair of white Capri's, a pink tank top that laced up the front and tied at the top and white strappy sandals. Once she had the outfit on, she went back out into the living room. 

"Perfect!" Lisa exclaimed when she saw Mecale emerge from the hallway. "Let's get going. Clothes aren't going to buy themselves!" 

The three of them left the apartment and made their way down to the street. This was the first time Mecale had been out of the apartment since Kouji had brought her there two days ago. At that time, she had still been contemplating her situation and hadn't really gotten to take a look around. Now she did and was surprised to see almost solid buildings. 

Lisa led the two of them to a powder blue convertible VW beetle and pushed the button on her key ring to deactivate the alarm. The car beeped and the headlights flashed, startling Mecale. No one noticed. When they reached the car, Lisa opened the driver's side door and looked back at them other two over the black roof of the car. 

"Girls up front," she announced and climbed into the car. 

Kouji sighed and opened the passenger door, then climbed into the backseat. Once he was in, he pulled the seat back to it's original location. Mecale climbed in warily. She had seen a lot of commercials for cars and was fascinated, and a little frightened, by them. She closed the car door and sat back in the seat. 

"Seatbelts," Lisa instructed. 

Not knowing what a seatbelt was, Mecale turned to Lisa and watched as the petite blonde grabbed a strap hanging from the car, pulled it across her and hooked it next to the seat. Mecale turned and found her own strap thing. She proceeded to copy Lisa's actions, hoping that the strap was the seatbelt thing she was talking about. 

Mecale turned back and saw that Lisa had put the keys in the ignition. She turned the key and the engine purred to life. Lisa flicked a switch and the top began to lower. Once it was down and stored in it's designated spot, she shifted into drive, pulled out onto the street and they were on their way to the mall. 

On the way there, Lisa and Kouji chatted about various things. Mecale was so entranced by the city around her that she barely heard anything that was said between the two friends. She was concentrating on all the amazing sights and sounds along and on the road. There were so many people! 

After about ten minutes of driving, Lisa pulled into the parking lot of a huge two-story building. They drove around for a few minutes before finding a parking spot. Once they were stopped, Lisa put the top back up on the car and they all piled out. 

"Come on! Let's go!" Lisa urged, "The stores are calling to us!" She grabbed Mecale's hand and began dragging her towards the entrance. Kouji followed behind, fearing for the continued existence of his bank account. 

------------------------------------ 

Four hours later, the three of them, loaded down with bags from almost every clothing store in the mall and a few others, made their way back to Lisa's car. They put the bags in the trunk and then climbed in the car. 

"I'm starving!" Lisa announced as she pushed the button that controlled the top, "Let's go to Minnie's." 

"What's Minnie's?" Mecale asked as she covered her eyes with her newly bought sunglasses. 

"It's a little café down by the beach," Lisa explained, "They have an outdoor patio where you can eat and watch the ocean." 

The car pulled back into the traffic and they made the fifteen-minute drive back to the shoreline. They found a parking space not too far from Minnie's and walked the rest of the way. They got a table outside a waiter brought them all a menu. It was obvious that Lisa was a regular patron at Minnie's because the waiter knew her by name and vice versa. She introduced him to Mecale and reminded him that he already met Kouji. The waiter took their drink orders and told them he'd be back in a few minutes to take their food orders. 

As soon as he was gone, Lisa turned to Mecale. "Ooo, did you see the way Johnny was looking at you?" Johnny was their waiter. 

"What?" Mecale questioned. 

"Don't tell me you didn't notice," Lisa insisted, "he was checking you out!" 

"He was?" 

"Yes!" Lisa nodded, "when he comes back, you should talk to him." 

"No, I couldn't," Mecale declined. 

"Sure you could," Lisa urged, "Just ask him a question or something." 

"I don't know…" 

"Lisa, will you leave her alone? She obviously doesn't want to talk to him," Kouji's face held a look of mild irritation. 

"Chill out Kouji," Lisa smirked, "if you want Mecale all to yourself, all you had to do was say so." 

"What?!" Kouji exclaimed and his cheeks turned rosy. 

"I mean, if I had known that you had a crush on her I wouldn't have said anything," Lisa continued with a grin. 

"I didn't say that!" Kouji defended. 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lisa apologized insincerely, "I guess I misunderstood." 

"Yes, you did," Kouji agreed. 

At that moment, Johnny brought their drinks and they ordered. Mecale avoided eye contact with the waiter the entire time he was there. She didn't need another man chasing after her. After he left, Lisa began chatting with Kouji as if she hadn't just embarrassed him two minutes ago. 

Their food was brought a few minutes later and they ate and talked about different things. Mecale usually stayed out of the conversation and looked out over the ocean while she ate. She had always enjoyed the ocean. 

After their meal, they walked back to the car, got in and drove back to Kouji's apartment. Lisa parked on the curb and the three of them unloaded the car and took the bags up to the apartment. Lisa said goodbye to both of them and told Mecale she'd come and pick up the clothes she had lent her in a few days. Mecale thanked her for taking them shopping and then Lisa left. 

As soon as she was gone, Mecale turned to Kouji. "I'm so sorry Kouji! I didn't want all these clothes but she wouldn't stop buying! If we can, we'll take them back. I only need a few outfits, not an entire wardrobe!" 

"Don't worry about it," Kouji grinned, "she spent less than I thought she would." 

"But…" 

"No buts," Kouji insisted, "you're keeping the clothes. The money was just sitting in my bank account doing nothing anyway." 

"Are you sure?" Mecale persisted, "because this is a whole lot of clothes." She motioned to the bags sitting on the living room floor. 

"I'm sure," Kouji assured, "now let's get them put away." Kouji grabbed a handful of bags and walked down the hall to the bedroom. Mecale picked up some bags and followed. 

Inside the bedroom, Kouji had the drawers on the dresser open and was cramming everything from the second drawer into the third drawer. He was also transferring his socks from the top, right hand drawer into the top left drawer. 

"What are you doing?" Mecale questioned and sat down the bags. 

"Making room for your clothes," Kouji answered as he move his own. 

"What? No," Mecale said, "my clothes can stay in the bags. They don't need to be put away." 

"Yes they do." Kouji shut the top left drawer, which now contained his boxers and socks, and turned to Mecale. "We don't know how long you're going to be here. You should feel at home." 

"But Kouji…" 

He held up his hand to stop her. "How many times do I have to tell you, no buts? You are putting your clothes in the dresser and what doesn't fit in the dresser will go in the closet. Understand?" 

Mecale nodded quickly. "Yes." The tone he had used was the same her father used when someone wasn't accepting his "suggestions." 

"Good." Kouji turned back to the dresser and continued moving his clothes into the bottom drawer. "You can start putting stuff in the right hand drawer." 

"Okay." Mecale went and got the rest of the bags from the living room and brought them into the bedroom. She found the one that contained her new undergarments and put them in the smaller drawer quickly, trying to angle her body so that Kouji couldn't see them. She also put her three bathing suits (which Lisa insisted that she HAD to have. "You're only a few blocks from the beach. You'll be there all the time.") and the few pairs of socks she had gotten in the drawer as well. 

Kouji finished moving his clothes and in the second drawer were placed her shorts (of which she had fifteen pairs), shirts that wouldn't wrinkle (thirteen of them), her pink jogging outfit (so she could jog with Kouji in the morning), her pajamas (three pairs, one pink with monkeys, one green with frogs, one blue with ducks) and her few pairs of jeans (four to be exact). Into the closet went her dresses (five, not counting the one she had arrived in), shirts that would wrinkle (six), and three skirts that Lisa insisted looked amazing on Mecale. There were also four pairs of shoes (one pair of black Vans, one pair of strappy brown sandals, one pair of white Nikes and one pair of dress shoes) and a pair of flip-flops for the beach. The shoes were lined up against the closet with Kouji's shoes. 

After the clothes were put away, Mecale and Kouji relaxed in front of the TV for a few hours. Around dinnertime, Kouji decided that they should go out to dinner and he took her to Olive Garden. She got to wear a new skirt and blouse, which made the trip down the block worth it. Not that Mecale didn't enjoy the dinner, but every outing is more fun if you get to go in new clothes. 

After dinner, they drove back to Kouji's apartment in his silver, convertible Nissan Z car. Mecale was less nervous this time and was even beginning to enjoy how quickly a car got them around. 

When they arrived back at the apartment, both of them were exhausted from their busy day and decided to go to bed. They said goodnight to each other and Mecale went to the bedroom. She changed into her duck pajamas and climbed into bed. Exhausted by the events of the day, she fell into a dreamless sleep, the last dreamless sleep she would have for a while. 

******************************* 

Sorry it took so long for the update. I've been lazy. I know things have been kind of boring but I promise some plot will start in the next chapter. This was just a little fun before the darkness begins. 

I don't own Vans or Nissan. 


	5. Shadows

**Chapter 4: Shadows**

  


Breakfast was interrupted by the commander of the Fanelian Army, General Lucian McBane. He was a wolf man from Rahm's tribe and had been sent to Fanelia to help with the restoration twenty-two years ago. After the restoration, he had been accepted into the army and after the betrayal of Chenley during the Zeus wars, had been promoted to general. He also was in charge of Fanelia's defenses and was a good friend of the Fanels. 

When Lucian entered the dining room and bowed low, interrupting the conversation and the meal, everyone knew something was wrong, really wrong. Adrina felt her throat close as Lucian leaned down near Folken. 

"My Lord," he began in a whisper, "when the meal is finished, there is something I need to talk to you about." 

Folken wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up. "I know you wouldn't have come if it wasn't important. We'll talk now." He turned to the table of people. "If you'll excuse me…" 

Adrina jumped up as well. "I'm coming too." 

"There's no need," Folken told her, "Whatever it is can wait until after breakfast." 

"And breakfast can wait until after the news is given," Adrina insisted, "I'm coming with you." 

Folken nodded and the three of them hurried out of the dining room. The walk from the dining hall to the parlor was the longest few minutes of Adrina's life. She had the sinking feeling that whatever Lucian had to talk about had to do with Mecale. 

They finally reached the parlor and Folken closed the door behind them to ensure that they weren't bothered and their conversation wasn't overheard. Inside the room, Adrina collapsed onto a sofa and Folken sat down beside her. Lucian sat on a plush chair across from them. For a few seconds no one spoke and Adrina thought she would die from the anxiety. Finally Folken addressed the wolf general. 

"Lucian, what news do you have for us?" 

"My Lord, My Lady, scouts just returned form Zaibach…" Lucian began. 

"Zaibach?" Adrina interrupted, "Why would you send scouts to Zaibach?" When the sorcerers were destroyed, Zaibach crumbled. There had been no human inhabitants of the region for over fifteen years, although the fall of the Empire wasn't the only reason the people had fled. 

"There seems to be a change in the…anomaly there," Lucian informed. 

"A change?" Suddenly, Folken wasn't so calm anymore. "What kind of change?" 

"Well, My Lord, it appears to be growing." 

------------------------------------------ 

Mecale awoke before dawn and went jogging with Kouji. She wasn't used to the exercise but she managed to keep up with him just the same. At the top of the cliff, near where he had found her, they sat in the grass and watched the ocean as the sun rose behind them. 

After the sun had risen and they had had their fill of the ocean view for the morning, the two of them jogged back to Kouji's apartment. Kouji let Mecale take the first shower while he watched the morning news. After Mecale emerged dressed in a pair of jean shorts and a red fitted T-shirt depicting a sinister looking black cat, Kouji took his turn in the shower and Mecale changed the TV to Cartoon Network. 

Kouji made a simple breakfast after his shower and upon seeing the bareness of his fridge and cupboards, the two of them decided to go grocery shopping. 

As the two of them got into Kouji's car, Mecale realized that she was growing quite accustomed to life on the Mystic Moon. She loved the technology, she loved the food, she loved everything about this foreign world. She knew that her family was probably worried sick about her but an adventure had never killed any of them and it certainly wouldn't kill her. They were too overprotective anyway. 

They arrived at the grocery store and the two of them walked through the automatic doors. Kouji grabbed a basket and they started down the first aisle. 

"So, what kind of stuff do you like to eat?" Kouji questioned as he put two loaves of bread into the basket. 

"Um…" Mecale stalled. She pretended to be thinking about what she liked when in reality she was trying to think of a way to answer the question. "I like…pretty much anything really." 

"Come on," Kouji urged as he picked up some sausage, "everyone has a favorite food. What's yours?" 

Mecale was desperately searching her mind for the name of the foods she had eaten on the Mystic Moon. "Uh…lasagna." 

"Lasagna," Kouji repeated, "Good choice. And it just so happens that I can make lasagna." He grabbed a large bag of grated cheese. "Let's see what other good stuff we can find to eat." 

The two moved through the entire store picking out food and snacks that looked good. When they were finished, the basket was nearly half full. 

"I hope we can fit all this into the trunk of my car," Kouji commented as the cashier rang up their purchase. The groceries were bagged and taken out to the car. Mecale and Kouji loaded them into the trunk and then headed back to the apartment. They put all the groceries away and Kouji decided to teach Mecale how to play rummy. 

After a while, Mecale got the hang of the game and even beat Kouji a few times. After a few more games, Kouji made lunch and they sat at the counter, talking and eating. 

"Now what should we do?" Kouji asked after lunch. 

"I don't know," Mecale shrugged, "what do you think we should do?" 

"Wanna go see a movie?" Kouji suggested. 

Mecale's eyes lit up. "Yeah! That's a great idea!" 

"Let's go then!" 

Kouji grabbed his car keys and the two of them left the apartment. 

------------------------------------- 

"What do you mean it's growing?" Van shouted after Folken relayed the message that Lucian had just told them to Van, Hitomi, Golan, Siri, Allen, Millerna, Riley, Kolena, Erika, Merle and Zane. The three younger children were playing elsewhere in the palace. 

"According to Lucian's scouts, it's grown almost two feet in every direction," Folken informed. 

"Why now?" Millerna questioned, "Why would it choose now to start spreading?" 

"You don't think it senses that Mecale is gone, do you?" Hitomi asked, wide-eyed. 

Before anyone could answer, Riley spoke. "Let me get this straight. That shadow in Zaibach is alive?" 

"Yes," Folken answered. 

"Why wasn't I told about this before?" Riley demanded, "Is it a threat?" 

"Yes," Allen replied to his son, "A very serious threat." 

"We were always told that it was dangerous," Siri whispered, "but never that it was dangerous to us." 

"We didn't want to scare you," Hitomi told her daughter. "We always thought we could stop it, but now that Mecale's gone…" 

"What does Mecale have to do with this?" Riley asked. 

"Shouldn't Mecale know it's awakened?" Millerna inquired hopefully, ignoring her son, "Won't she come back once she realizes we're in trouble?" 

"She should start having nightmares about it soon," Adrina answered, "but she won't understand their meaning." 

"Why not?" Allen demanded. 

"We never told her about the prophecy," Folken told everyone, "We didn't want her to know until she was old enough." 

"Prophecy?" Riley repeated, "what prophecy? What are you people talking about?" 

"The prophecy of the Draconians," Adrina stated, "when we went to the Record's House, we brought back a Draconian book with us. The book told how to destroy Zeus but also told of many other Draconian secrets, one was the prophecy." 

"The prophecy tells about the first born female child of two Draconians," Folken picked up where Adrina left off, "If ever the two sides of the Draconian family tree were united, a girl child would be born with wings of gold. The gold wings would represent the strength and goodness of the Draconian race. Unfortunately, there cannot be good without evil. When the child of the united Draconians was born, a shadow would also be born and inhabit the most uninhabitable corner of the world. This shadow represents the evil intentions of the Draconians and their will to dominate. It is the opposing force of the pure goodness of the daughter of the Draconians. This shadow has the power to destroy the entire planet by merely covering it. Everything it touches will instantly be devoid of life. There is only one force powerful enough to contest this evil." 

"Mecale," Siri whispered in awe. 

"Mecale?!" Riley exclaimed, "How is Mecale supposed to oppose something like that?" 

"The prophecy states that the evil will remain dormant until the girl child is able to face it," Adrina explained, "it senses her at all times and knows when the final showdown will begin. The fact that it awakened means that Mecale is ready to fight it." 

"How will she fight it?" Riley demanded, "It's a giant shadow! How is she supposed to defeat it?" 

"Only Mecale knows the answer to that," Adrina told him. 

At that moment, Lucian entered the room. "My King, we have gathered more information as you requested." 

"I'd like to speak to Lucian alone," Folken told the group. Everyone but Lucian, Folken and Adrina left the room. Once they were gone, Lucian relayed his message. "It is confirmed that the anomaly is growing." 

"How fast?" Folken asked. 

"If it keeps spreading at a constant speed, it will reach Fanelia in two weeks," Lucian reported. 

"Two weeks?" Folken repeated in surprise. He composed himself quickly. "Thank you Lucian. Please keep me updated on the matter." 

"Yes My Lord." Lucian bowed and exited, leaving the King and Queen alone in the room. 

"Two weeks," Adrina sighed, "Do you think she'll make it back?" 

"Of course she will," Folken assured. He was quiet for a moment. "You know, you left part of the prophecy out of your explanation." 

"What part was that?" Adrina asked innocently. 

"The part about the girl child's samurai," Folken replied. 

"Oh yes," Adrina admitted, "I guess it slipped my mind." 

"I didn't want to mention it in front of Riley either," Folken grinned, "I don't want him to get any ideas." 

"He can get all the ideas he wants," Adrina stated, "It won't do him any good." 

"Why do you say that?" 

"The shadow didn't start growing until Mecale was on the Mystic Moon," Adrina reminded, "The prophecy says that the evil remains dormant until the good is ready to fight it. Mecale wouldn't be ready unless she had found her samurai. I'd bet anything that she brings someone back with her from the Mystic Moon." 

------------------------------------ 

When Mecale and Kouji got back to the apartment, it was late. They had ended up getting tickets for a double feature and then had gone out for a late dinner. Mecale had thought TV was a wonderful experience but it was nothing compared to the movies. Mecale wasn't sure what was better, the experience of the movie or actually watching the movie. It was all she had talked about during dinner and the car ride home. 

"Thank you so much Kouji!" Mecale exclaimed for the fifth time as they entered the apartment. "That was the most fun I've had in my entire life!" 

Kouji grinned. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that you'd never been to the movies before." 

Mecale's smile faltered and her face turned red. "Sorry, I just…" 

"Don't be sorry," Kouji chuckled, "I was just teasing. And besides, it's always nice to know that you make people happy." Mecale's grin returned and Kouji's smile widened. "See you in the morning. You're going jogging with me, right?" 

"Of course!" Mecale assured, "Goodnight Kouji. See you in the morning." She practically skipped back to the bedroom. She hadn't been this happy since her first visit to Asturia when she was six. She had no idea why, but she felt like everything in her life was finally working itself out. She changed into her froggy pajamas and fell asleep with a smile on her face. 

_Mecale was standing in the clearing in the Fanelian forest. She was facing the deserted country of Zaibach and was staring intently. Of course, the mountains and trees blocked her view of the desert land but she continued to stare anyway. _

As she gazed, an ice cold wind whipped around her body, stirring her dress and blowing her hair away from her face. The wind was so cold and sharp that it stung her eyes but she refused to turn away, even when she could feel hot tears running down her cheeks. 

Suddenly, all of the mountains and trees obstructing her view disappeared and she had a clear view of the Zaibach landscape. In the far corner was a dark shadow, so dark that it swallowed any light that dared try to pierce it. She knew the shadow, it had been there for as long as she could remember. She had been told it was dangerous but while the other children feared it, she didn't. Instead, she saw it as an adversary, an opponent that must be defeated. Of course, that was crazy. It was just a shadow. 

As Mecale watched, the shadow began to shift and change shape. She had never seen it move and it startled her, but instead of feeling fear, she felt anticipation as if she were waiting for something. It continued to change until in the middle of the shadow, a recognizable shape appeared. Mecale gasped when she saw it. 

It was the face of a man. 

**************************************** 

I don't own Cartoon Network. Okay fine, I don't own anything!! Except Folken and Adrina Fanel's Royal Treatment Horse Care Products. Actually, it's a joint venture with Gwuinivyre, but it's 100% garunteed to work on any horse, to make them feel as if they really were vibrant rulers in the house of Fanel. Would you like to buy some of Folken and Adrina Fanel's Royal Treatment Horse Care Products? 

I named the wolf general Lucian in honor of Lucian from Underworld (which I don't own). I felt that he shouldn't have died (damn Kraven). Anyway, yeah. 


	6. A Day at the Beach

**Chapter 5: A Day at the Beach**

Mecale awoke quickly and sat up, a scream lodged in her throat. She found that she was drenched in sweat and was trembling. The dream was unnerving to say the least. She had had nightmares before, almost everyone had, but she'd never had one that was so realistic. She could still feel the icy breeze on her skin. Her heart was still beating like a drum and although she wasn't exactly scared, she was anxious and apprehensive, as if she were waiting for something. She nearly jumped out of the bed when Kouji knocked on the door. 

"Mecale! Time to wake up! The sun will be coming over the mountains in a few minutes!" He pushed the door open and smiled when he saw Mecale sitting up in bed. "Oh good, you're already awake. The morning calls." 

"I'll be out in a few minutes," Mecale told him. He grabbed his jogging outfit and left her alone to dress. 

Mecale climbed out of the bed and peeled off her sweat-soaked pajamas. She threw them into the clothes hamper in the corner and dressed quickly in her jogging suit and Nikes. She met Kouji in the living room and they left on their morning run. 

During the entire run, the nightmare she had had kept resurfacing in Mecale's mind. It was odd that such a strange dream would have an impact on her memory. As far as she knew, the dream meant nothing. 

After they had returned from their run, taken their showers and had eaten their breakfast, Kouji suggested they spend the day at the beach. 

"You've been here for almost a week and you still haven't been to the beach," Kouji commented as he rinsed the breakfast dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher. "I think it's time you tried out one of those new bathing suits." 

Mecale agreed and went to change while Kouji finished with the dishes. She chose and orange, two piece suit, a white tank top and orange shorts that matched the suit. She changed and looked at herself in the mirror. The bathing suit was quite revealing and she didn't want to even walk out of the bedroom without covering herself up. Luckily, with the shorts and tank top, she deemed the outfit acceptable and went back into the living room. She found Kouji, already changed into blue swim trunks and a white, wife beater tank top, making sandwiches for their lunches. 

"Need some help?" she questioned. 

"Sure," Kouji nodded, "put some chips into baggies for lunch." 

Mecale nodded and got the chips and baggies out of their respective cupboards. Once that task was done, she helped him put everything into a bag and load a small ice chest with sodas and ice. Once everything was packed, they were ready to go. Kouji handed Mecale the bag of food and also a bag that contained two beach towels, a blanket and a bottle of sunscreen. 

"You know, while we're at it, we should take those clothes back to Lisa," Kouji commented, "her house is on the way." 

Mecale but the bags down and went back into the bedroom. She grabbed the outfit that Lisa had lent to her and went back into the kitchen. 

"All set?" Kouji asked. 

"Yep." Mecale grabbed the two bags from the counter. Kouji grabbed the ice chest and they left the apartment. They put everything into the trunk of Kouji's car and then pulled out of the apartment complex. Instead of driving the three blocks to the beach near his house, Kouji drove away from the beach towards the center of Seaport. He turned down a few streets and was heading towards the beach again. 

"In case you're wondering what I'm doing, I'm taking you to a private beach," Kouji informed, "my agent, Lisa's dad, lives in an estate that owns the beach in front of all the houses. You have to be a resident of the estate to use the beach but my agent pulled a few strings and got me a pass." He pointed to a plastic sign hanging from his rearview mirror. It was turquoise and white and said "Resident of Beachfront Estates." 

After a few more minutes of driving, Kouji pulled up to a huge black gate. A sign above it read "Beachfront Estates" and there was a guardhouse on the left side. The guard, an older man, looked at them through the removed top. He obviously recognized Kouji because he smiled and opened the gate for them. Kouji smiled back and drove the car through. 

Inside, Mecale marveled at the size of the houses. Of course, being the member of a Royal Family, she had seen much bigger dwellings. The Fanelian palace was bigger than these houses and the Asturian palace was bigger than Fanelia's, but she had never seen so many large houses together. Upon seeing the first house, her thought was that it was owned by some royal but as they drove deeper into the estate, she saw that all of the houses were large, some bigger than the others. She knew that so many royals wouldn't be living so close and besides, Kouji had said Lisa lived here and Lisa wasn't royalty. The only conclusion she could make was that the houses belonged to normal people. 

Kouji turned down a side street and drove up the driveway of a huge house. The house itself was set back from the road about two hundred feet and was surrounded by a beautiful lawn. Kouji stopped the car and the two of them climbed out. 

"Lisa lives here?" Mecale asked as Kouji got the clothes out of the trunk. 

"Yep," Kouji nodded and closed the trunk. "Lisa's grandparents were rich. When they died, they left it all to her mom." 

"Wow," Mecale murmured as they walked up to the door. Kouji rang the doorbell and it was opened by a man in tan slacks and a white, button up shirt. He smiled when he saw Kouji. 

"Good morning Kouji," the man greeted, "Mr. Davis didn't tell me he was expecting you." 

"He's not," Kouji informed, "I'm here to see Lisa. I wanted to return some clothes she lent to my friend." 

The man turned to Mecale. "Oh! How rude of me. My name is John." He held out his hand to her. 

"Hello John," Mecale shook his hand, "I'm Mecale. It's a pleasure to meet you." 

"Come on in." John stepped aside so they could enter. "I think Lisa is up in her room. I'll go tell her you're here. Can I get you two anything to drink?" 

"I'm fine, thanks," Kouji declined. 

"No thank you," Mecale replied. 

John nodded and hurried up the double staircase that stood in front of them. Mecale looked around at the foyer of the house where they stood. The two staircases flanked a set of double doors. From the roof hung a crystal chandelier and on both sides of the room there were doors that led to different parts of the house. 

Mecale turned her attention to the stairs as Lisa came down the left flight. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?" the petite blonde asked. 

"The return of your borrowed clothes." Kouji held them out to her. 

"Thank you." Lisa took the clothes from him. "So what are you two up to today?" 

"I'm taking Mecale to the beach," Kouji answered. 

"Ooo, sounds like fun," Lisa commented, "I wish I could come but I have to take my _darling_ little brother to his karate class." 

From another room in the house, a little boy's voice rang out. "No mommy, no! Don't let Lisa take me to karate class! She'll make me ride in the trunk!" 

Lisa chuckled nervously. "What a kidder. Anyway, you two have fun. Maybe we can get together sometime next week." 

Kouji and Mecale said goodbye to Lisa and left the house. They got into the car and Kouji pulled back onto the road. They turned down a few more roads and finally found themselves in a parking lot. There were about ten cars in the parking lot, all of them expensive models that obviously belonged to the residents of Beachfront Estates. Beyond the parking lot stretched a sandy beach and beyond that, the clear blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. 

Kouji parked the car and the two of them got out. They got the bags and the ice chest out of the trunk and made their way onto the beach. Kouji picked a spot that was a little ways away from everyone else and he spread the blanket out for them to sit on. Kouji then explained to Mecale what the sun block was for and convinced her to put it on. Once they had both put sunscreen on, Kouji pulled his tank top off and stood up. 

"I don't know about you, but I'm going in the water," he informed, "It's getting hot out here already." 

Mecale looked up and her eyes locked on Kouji. It was obvious that he went to the beach a lot. His skin was tanned a light bronze. As Mecale stared up at him, she found her eyes trailing down to the toned muscles of Kouji's chest. As he had said, the temperature was already hot, causing a think layer of sweat to break out and glisten on his chest. 

Suddenly very embarrassed by the way she was staring, Mecale tore her eyes away. _What's wrong with you?_ Mecale scolded herself, _You are acting like a tramp!_ Angry with herself, she kept her eyes on the blanket. 

"Are you coming?" Kouji asked. 

"Yes," Mecale answered, still keeping her eyes away from him. She stood up and looked down the length of the beach. No one was wearing clothes over their bathing suit and some were more revealing than her own. Reluctantly, Mecale took off the tank top and shorts so that she would fit in. She folded them and put them on the blanket. When she stood back up, Kouji was staring at her. 

"What?" she demanded, more than a little self-consciously. 

"N.nothing," Kouji stammered and shook his head. "Come on, let's get into the water." 

Mecale nodded reluctantly and followed him to the edge of the water. Without delay, Kouji walked into the gentle surf. Mecale hesitated. 

"Come on," Kouji urged, "the water's perfect!" 

"Are you sure its' safe?" Mecale inquired, "I mean, aren't there animals and things in the water?" On Gaea, it was dangerous to go into the waters of the ocean because there were many animals that could and would harm a person. Her aunt Hitomi had told her that the oceans on the Mystic Moon were different, that people swam in them every day, but she was still a little nervous. 

"Of course it's safe," Kouji assured, "would I be in here if it wasn't?" 

"I guess not," Mecale admitted but she was still reluctant to step in. 

"Don't worry," Kouji comforted with a grin, "I won't let anything chew on you." 

Mecale couldn't help but smile back. "Promise?" 

"Promise," Kouji swore, "Now come on." 

Mecale smiled again and followed Kouji into the water. 

------------------------------------------------------ 

Folken was bent over a table in the palace's library, carefully reading through the Draconian book that he had taken from the Record's House. He was going over every piece of information in the book, looking for something they might have missed. He was so engrossed in the reading that when the library door opened, he didn't look up to see who had entered. He didn't have to because a second later she was standing next to him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"Folken, you've been at this all morning," Adrina stated, "You need to take a break and eat something." 

"Not until I'm satisfied that we didn't miss anything," Folken told her without looking up from the book. 

"You know you won't find anything more," Adrina said, "We've been over the book hundreds of times. You practically know most of it by heart. There is no hidden secret. 

Folken sighed and looked up at his wife. "I know Rina. I just don't want to give up. There has to be some other way." 

"Please don't dwell on this Folken," Adrina begged, "Mecale will make it back in time." 

"That's not what I'm worried about," Folken informed. He paused. "This boy she has chosen as her samurai, does she love him?" 

"She will." 

"Then how can we let them go through with it?" Folken asked, "How will she react when she finds out that one of them must die to defeat the shadow?" 

"She would sacrifice herself," Adrina replied, "Which is why we cannot tell her what must be done. He will give up his life for her when the time comes." 

"How will she handle that? It will devastate her," Folken insisted. 

"I know," Adrina admitted grimly, "But there is nothing we can do. It has to be Mecale or her samurai." 

"What if we send Riley as her samurai?" Folken suggested, "I don't think that would have a negative emotional effect on her if he were to give up his life for her." 

"That boy wouldn't give up his hairbrush for Mecale," Adrina scoffed, "No, the samurai must love Mecale and be willing to give up his life for her. You know this." 

"Then what if I were her samurai?" Folken inquired, "I would gladly give up my life for her." 

"Do you think losing her father would be any less devastating than losing the man she loves?" Adrina spat, angry that he would even suggest such a thing. 

"But he would be there to comfort her." 

"And you will be there to comfort her when her samurai is gone," Adrina reminded, "You cannot be her samurai. She has already decided, although she doesn't know it yet. The boy must die and there is nothing we can do about it." 

Folken looked back down at the book. "I'm not giving up." 

Adrina nodded. "I'll have some lunch brought to you." 

Folken remained silent and Adrina left him alone to his studies. 

------------------------------------------- 

"I love the beach!" Mecale announced as they walked into Kouji's apartment. They had spent the entire day at the beach and had come home only when the sun began to set. 

Kouji put the now empty ice chest on the counter. "I'm glad you had fun." 

"I've had more fun in the last few days than I've had in my entire live!" Mecale exclaimed and put the bags on the counter as well. "I love it here!" 

"Compared to where?" Kouji asked, thinking that maybe her memory was coming back. 

Mecale realized what he was thinking and pretended she was confused. "I don't know. Wherever I used to live, I guess." 

"Well, judging by you reaction to simple things such as the movies and the beach, I'm guessing you used to lived a very sheltered life." Kouji pretended to think for a moment. "Maybe you lived in a cave. Or maybe in Siberia. Yeah, I bet that's it, Siberia. No beaches or movie theaters and it would explain the accent." 

Mecale blushed, realizing that she was overreacting to such simple things. Kouji saw her red cheeks and spoke. 

"You know what? Honestly, the past few days have been the most fun I've had in a long time so I have no room to talk." 

Mecale smiled again and Kouji smiled back. He then quickly looked away and opened the refrigerator. "How about spaghetti for dinner?" 

"Sounds good to me," Mecale replied. Kouji began to gather the ingredients while Mecale went and changed into some dry clothes. She then helped Kouji with dinner by putting together a salad and buttering French bread. After the meal was prepared, they sat down to eat. 

After dinner, the two of them sat down on the couch to watch TV. Mecale began to feel sleepy after an hour so she said good night to Kouji and went to bed. 

_Mecale stood in the clearing and gazed towards Zaibach, her view blocked by trees and mountains. A cold wind began to encircle her, stirring her dress and whipping her hair around her face. As she stared, the mountains and trees disappeared to give her a full view of the Zaibach landscape. In the corner, where it always was, rested the mysterious shadow. _

As she watched, the shadow began to move and change into the face of a man like it did the night before. This time, the face became clearly defined, although she didn't recognize the man. Suddenly, she felt as if something was pulling her towards the shadow and the man's face. Mecale closed her eyes tightly, hoping that everything would go back to the way it was. 

When she opened her eyes, Mecale was terrified to find herself in front of the shadow. It's blackness was so intense that it hurt her eyes to try and make out anything in the dark. All of a sudden, a wave of fear washed over her and she had the distinct feeling that something was coming towards her out of the shadow. She tried to run, but her feet were stuck. She felt paralyzed and didn't know what to do. She began to struggle but it was all in vain. 

Mecale looked back into the darkness, trying to catch a glimpse of what was coming. She saw nothing but knew that it would step into the light any second. Frantic, Mecale began to struggle ever harder. She also began to chant one word over and over. 

"No no no no no no no." 

Mecale turned her gaze from her paralyzed body back to the shadow. It was there, whatever it was, standing just on the other side of the blackness, waiting for the right moment to step out and reveal itself. She had the distinct feeling that if it did come out into the light, there would be nothing she could do to stop it. 

She sensed it move. It was ready. It was coming out. 

"Nooooo!" 


	7. Destiny

**Chapter 6: Destiny**

  
**To Gwuinivyre:** I forgive you for not reviewing. It's okay. I'm just glad that you are reading. That goes for the rest of you too.   
************************************************* 

"Noooo!" 

Mecale sat straight up in bed, the terrified wail stopping when she did. Her entire body was drenched in sweat and she was shaking uncontrollably just like the morning before. She took deep breath in order to slow her thumping heart and ease her ragged breathing. Once she had calmed down, she noticed the sunlight streaming through the window. She looked at the bedside clock and saw it was way past the time when Kouji normally woke her up. Confused, she got up and walked into the living room. 

Sure enough, Kouji was gone. The blankets and pillows he used were stacked against the side of the couch to wait for nightfall. Mecale went back into the bedroom and saw that Kouji's jogging shoes were gone from their normal place in front of the closet. He had obviously gone jogging without her. 

Mecale decided to take a shower to rid herself of the sticky sweat that clung to her as a result of the nightmare. She got a clean set of clothes out of the drawers and went into the bathroom. 

As she showered, Mecale thought about the nightmares. The same, or almost the same, nightmare in two nights. Was it just a coincidence? Or did it mean something? She wasn't psychic but as a Draconian, she was prone to more "feelings" and a higher intuition than humans. Mecale shook her head, dismissing the thought. Siri had visions like her mother, Mecale never had. Why would she have a prophetic dream now? 

After the shower, Mecale dressed and went into the living room to wait for Kouji. He arrived about five minutes later, fresh from his morning jog. 

"Hey, you're up," Kouji commented as he placed his Discman on the counter, "Sorry I didn't wake you up but you were sleeping so peacefully and I thought you were tired from yesterday…" 

"It's okay," Mecale assured with a grin, "thank you for being so thoughtful." 

Kouji blushed. "It wasn't that big a deal." He cleared his throat and looked away. "Anyway, I have a kendo class to go to today. You can stay here if you want or you can come with me. You'll probably get bored sitting there but there are a bunch of stores around that you can check out. Either way is fine." 

"I think I'll go with you," Mecale told him, "I wouldn't mind wandering around a few stores." 

"Okay," Kouji agreed, "We'll stop at the bank before we go and I'll get some money for you." 

"No," Mecale insisted, "I don't need any money. I'll just look around." 

"Yes you do," Kouji said, "I'll probably be in there for a few hours. You might get hungry or something." 

"But Kouji…" 

"Uh uh." Kouji held up his hand, "What did I tell you?" 

Mecale sighed in defeat. "No buts." 

"Exactly," Kouji smiled, "I'm gonna take a shower, then I'll make breakfast." 

Kouji disappeared down the hallway and Mecale turned on the TV. Ten minutes later he reemerged, toweling his hair dry. He walked into the kitchen and started on breakfast. Mecale wandered over and sat down at the counter. 

"Kouji?" Mecale called. He turned from the stove to face her. "What's kendo?" 

"It's a Japanese sport, I guess you could say," Kouji answered, "It involves fighting with wooden sticks." 

"Oh," Mecale nodded. "Are you good at it?" 

Kouji shrugged. "I'm okay I guess. I've been doing it since I was a kid." 

Kouji continued to make breakfast and Mecale set out the plates and silverware. They ate breakfast quickly and then got ready to go. 

"It's about an hour drive to the place," Kouji informed, "so we better get going. We still have to stop at the bank too." 

Mecale started to argue but Kouji held his hand up, signaling that he didn't want to hear it. Kouji grabbed a few things he needed for his class and the two of them got into his car. They drove to a nearby bank where Kouji withdrew some money for Mecale and then they got on the freeway to head to a nearby city where Kouji's class was held. As he drove, they talked and listened to the radio. After about forty-five minutes, Kouji got off the freeway and drove down a few surface streets until he came to a shopping complex. He parked near a building that said "Kendo" on the front. They both got out of the car. 

"I should be done by about 1:00," Kouji told her, "If you get bored, you can always come back and lounge around inside." 

"Okay," Mecale agreed. 

"See you in a few hours," Kouji said. 

"Bye." 

Kouji disappeared into the kendo building and Mecale began to make her way around the shopping center, checking out all of the stores. About an hour later, she had finished going through the shops near the kendo building and decided to head down the street a little ways to a shopping center she had seen when they drove in. Mecale was entranced by the closed-in markets that were so different than the open-air bazaars on Gaea. 

After wandering around the new area for a while, Mecale became thirsty. She bought a soda and continued on her window-shopping spree. The second center had twice as many stores and it took Mecale an hour and a half to fully explore the area. When she looked down at her watch, she saw that it was getting close to one o' clock. Mecale decided to head back to the kendo building. 

She got the kendo building and saw that Kouji was still inside. Mecale decided that she wanted to see what kendo was so she walked into the building. Inside, there was a group of women standing at the back of the building by the door. The only men visible were two in the middle of the room, swinging wooden sticks at each other. Mecale looked around the building for Kouji but when she didn't see him, she joined the group of women to watch. 

Next to Mecale stood a short brunette. She turned to Mecale when she noticed her join the group. "I don't think I've seen you here before. Who are you with?" 

"Uh…Kouji," Mecale answered. 

"Really?" the brunette said loudly, drawing the attention of a few of the other women. "I don't think Kouji's ever brought anyone with him before. Nice to meet you. My name is Jill." 

"I'm Mecale." 

"So, you're here with Kouji?" another woman, a redhead, asked. 

"Yes," Mecale nodded. 

"Are you his girlfriend?" yet another woman, this one blonde, inquired. 

Mecale felt her cheeks grow red. "Um…no. We're just friends." 

"Oh," the woman nodded, "right." 

Before anymore could be said, the two men fighting were stopped by an older, well-built man. "Okay, just one more fight and you can all go home," the man announced, "Kouji! Ken! It's your turn." 

Kouji and another man emerged from behind a screen near the back of the room. Kouji smiled when he saw Mecale and stopped with the other man in the center of the room. Both of them were holding wooden sticks like the men before. The older man nodded and the two began to fight. Mecale watched in surprise as Kouji wielded the kendo stick with skill and grace. He was very good with the stick and suddenly, the image of him dressed in Fanelian armor and wielding a sword popped into Mecale's mind. She closed her eyes, willing the image to disappear even though the sight of it gave her butterflies. The vision disappeared but when Mecale opened her eyes, Kouji had defeated his opponent. The man was laying on the mat in front of Kouji and Kouji's kendo stick was pressed close to his throat. The older man congratulated Kouji and then dismissed the class. Kouji gathered his things and walked over to Mecale. 

"Did you have fun shopping?" he asked. 

"Yes," Mecale smiled as he led them out of the building. Kouji put his equipment in the trunk of his car and they got in. 

"So, what did you buy?" Kouji inquired as he pulled the car into traffic. 

"Nothing," Mecale replied, "Well, a soda but that was it." 

"You were supposed to spend the money I gave you," Kouji told her. 

"I didn't find anything I liked." 

"Don't lie to me," Kouji ordered, "I'm already mad at you. Don't make it worse." 

"Mad at me? Why?" Mecale questioned. 

"Because you didn't spend the money," Kouji answered. 

Mecale rolled her eyes. "Oh please." 

Kouji chuckled at her reaction and then spoke. "I'm completely worn out. What do you say we watch some movies and order take-out when we get home?" 

"Sounds good to me," Mecale answered and they continued down the freeway. 

------------------------------------------ 

"What kind of movies do you like?" Kouji asked. They were both standing in front of Kouji's movie collection in the living room. He had just taken a shower and his hair was still wet, making it catch the light and shine like polished obsidian. The red streaks looked like fire reflecting off the black. For some reason, Mecale's attention kept getting drawn back to him when she was trying to look for a movie to watch. 

"I don't know," Mecale answered, pulling her gaze away from him. She thought for a second. "I know. Let's watch you movie, the one you wrote." 

"Okay," Kouji agreed. He pulled a movie off of the shelf and put it into the DVD player. The two of them sat down on the couch with the Chinese food they had ordered and Kouji pushed play on the remote. "I have to warn you, this movie is a fantasy/romance flick." 

"That's fine," Mecale insisted as the title of the movie, "World's Apart," came on the screen. 

"It's actually based on a story my mother told me when I was a kid," Kouji informed as the opening scene of the movie began to play out. It showed a teenage girl reading her friend's fortunes with Tarot Cards at her school. "She swears it actually happened to a friend of hers." 

Mecale nodded and focused on the movie as the girl who had been playing with the Tarot Cards earlier was now hurrying to track practice. 

Two hours later, Mecale was completely and utterly speechless. She had no idea what to think. The movie she had just watched, the one Kouji had written, was the story of her aunt Hitomi and her uncle Van. Of course, the names were different but it was definitely their story. 

"Hey Mecale," Kouji called, "Are you okay? You look sick." 

"I…I'm fine," Mecale stammered. She turned to the man next to her on the couch. "You wrote that story?" 

Kouji looked at her strangely. "Yes." 

"And you got the idea from a story your mother used to tell you about a friend of hers?" 

"Yes," Kouji replied, "That exactly how she told it. I changed the names, of course and had the story set in America instead of Japan where it supposedly happened. And I had to make up the ending, you know, the part where the war ended and then they got married, had a baby, etc., because my mom says her friend stayed on Gaea." 

"Gaea?" Mecale choked out. 

"That's the name of the planet where my mom's friend supposedly went," Kouji informed. 

Mecale's mind was reeling. Hitomi had only told one person about Gaea when she had gone back to the Mystic Moon. Yukari must be Kouji's mother. But who was his father? "Kouji, what's your father's name?" 

"Amano." 

Mecale's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. "Your father is Amano Susumu?!" 

"Yeah," Kouji confirmed, "Have you heard of him before?" 

_Oh no,_ Mecale thought, _How am I going to get out of this one?_ "Um…" 

"I'm not surprised," Kouji continued, "He was an Olympic runner when he was younger." 

Mecale sighed, relieved that she had been saved from the predicament. "So, do you believe the story your mother told you?" 

"I don't know," Kouji shrugged, "I hate to think of my mom as a liar but it's a little far-fetched, don't you think?" 

_Not really,_ Mecale thought. "I guess." 

Kouji gave her a questioning look. "Why are you so interested in all of this?" 

"I was just curious," Mecale replied. She wanted to tell Kouji everything but she was afraid that he wouldn't believe her, despite his mother's story. She hadn't realized until now just how much she wanted him to know who she really was. "I'm kind of tired. I think I'm going to go to bed." 

"Are you sure?" Kouji asked, "It's only 8:00." 

"I know but I'm tired," Mecale told him. "I'll see you in the morning. Good night Kouji." Mecale got up and walked down the hallway. 

"Good night Mecale," Kouji called, still puzzled as to why she had left so suddenly. 

Inside the room, Mecale changed into her pajamas, fighting back tears the entire time. _What's wrong with me?_ she thought as she climbed into bed, _Why am I so sad? Why do I want to tell Kouji the truth so bad? Why does it hurt so much that he doesn't believe in Gaea?_

Mecale laid down and fell asleep while tiny, crystalline tears soaked her pillow. 

_Mecale closed her eyes, trying to shut out the image of the churning shadow and the eerie face. To her horror, when she opened her eyes, she was standing right in front of the evil entity. She tried to run but found that her legs were stuck to the ground. To add to her terror, Mecale could feel the presence of something coming closer to her from inside the shadow. She didn't now what it was but she knew it was pure evil and was getting closer to emerging into the light. _

Mecale continued to struggle but the paralysis in her legs remained. The evil in the shadow grew closer and closer until it was standing just across the threshold in the darkness. Mecale was desperate now, chanting "no" over and over again while she frantically tried to move her useless legs. 

Suddenly, she sensed the evil move. It had decided it was time to reveal itself. Mecale watched in horror as it stepped through. 

"Nooooo!" she screamed but it was cut off when she saw what had emerged. It was a man. He was dressed all in black and was as least as tall as her father, maybe taller. He had pure white hair streaming down his back and his handsome face showed no signs of age. The man turned toward her and took a step forward. 

"Mecale," he whispered gently. 

Surprised by his gentle voice and handsome features, Mecale stared up at him. "Who are you?" 

"I am you destiny, Mecale," the man told her. His voice was soft and melodic and Mecale found some of her fear dissipating. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean what I say," the man answered cryptically. He held out his hand. "Come Mecale. It is time." 

"Time for what?" Mecale demanded, angry that he wasn't giving her any straight answers. 

"Time for your destiny," the man replied and smiled. 

Suddenly, Mecale felt all of her fear disappear and she smiled back. She felt as if she was floating and watched detached as her hand stretched out to meet his. A voice inside her head was screaming at her to pull back, to turn and run, but she didn't listen. The voice was full of fear and trepidation. The only thing she felt was bliss. With one smile this man had ended all of her problems and given her happiness. He was right. It was time, time for her to meet her destiny. 

************************************* 

I don't really like the way this story is going. The reason that the last few chapters (and probably the next few) have been so short is because they are boring to write, yet they have to be written. I'm sure they are probably equally as boring for you to read. There will only be 2-3 more chapters before they go back to Gaea and then hopefully things will pick up. 

I have a question: In the next chapter, Mecale is going to realize that she is in love with Kouji while they slow dance on the boardwalk. I need to know if you think it should be mutual and they should kiss or if you think it should be one-sided and Mecale just doesn't say anything. I was leaning towards the kiss myself, but I'd like to know what you think. Thanks! 


	8. The Boardwalk

**Chapter 7: The Boardwalk**

Mecale opened her eyes and was momentarily disoriented by the darkness around her. Her eyes darted around until they found the soft glow of the digital clock on the nightstand. It was then that she remembered she was in Kouji's room, not with him. She remembered the feeling of bliss she had felt in the dream but for some reason, now that she was awake, the dream was more terrifying. She had almost given in to him, the man in the dream. She didn't know how, but she knew if she gave in to him everything would be lost. 

Mecale looked at the clock again and saw that it was still early morning. Kouji should be in any second to wake her up. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and Kouji entered. 

"Good morning," he said when he saw that she was awake, "Are you feeling better?" 

"Yes. I'm not tired anymore," Mecale smiled. 

"Good," Kouji said, "then you should be up for a jog this morning." 

"Yep." Mecale agreed with a grin. 

Kouji grabbed his clothes and shoes. "Then I'll meet you in the living room." Kouji left and Mecale changed into her jogging outfit. Now that she knew who his parents were, his love of running made sense to her. Once she was ready to go, Mecale went and met Kouji in the living room. 

"Ready to go?" he asked. 

"Yes." 

The two of them left the apartment and headed down the jogging path. Neither of them spoke until they reached the overlook. Once there, the two of them sat side by side in the grass and stared out over the ocean. Kouji was the first to speak. 

"Mecale?" 

Mecale turned to Kouji. "Yes?" 

"Were you mad at me yesterday?" Kouji inquired. 

Mecale's brow furrowed in confusion. "When?" 

"After we watched the movie," Kouji clarified, "You got up and left so quick that I thought maybe I said something to make you mad." 

"No, of course not," Mecale assured, "I wasn't mad at you. I was just tired from walking around all day." 

"Oh," Kouji nodded, "Okay, good because I don't want you to be mad at me." 

"I'd have to have a lot of guts to get mad at you when you're letting me stay at you place for free," Mecale joked. 

"Hey, you're right," Kouji admitted, "As long as you're staying in my apartment for free, you have to do whatever I tell you. I own you. When we get back, you can start by doing the dishes, then the laundry, then you can clear the apartment…" 

Mecale's laughter cut him off. "Yes, whatever you say. I'll get right on that as soon as we get back, _master_." 

This caused Kouji to laugh and the two of them laughed together for a few seconds. Once they had composed themselves, they started their jog home. 

They got back to the apartment and Mecale took a shower while Kouji cooked breakfast. It was on the counter when she emerged from the bathroom. The two of them ate and talked about what they were going to do for the day. Kouji suggested they spend the day at the Boardwalk, an amusement park set up on a pier. Their plans were destroyed, however, by a call from Kouji's agent. 

"Yeah, I'll be there," Kouji said into the phone, "alright, thanks." He hung up the phone and smiled wryly at Mecale. "That was my agent. The producer I met with last week wants to meet with me again to discuss buying my script. I'm really sorry." 

"Don't be sorry," Mecale insisted, "this is great news for you, right?" 

"Yeah." 

"Okay then," Mecale continued, "so go meet with that producer guy and sell that script!" 

"But I promised you we'd spend the day at the Boardwalk," Kouji reminded. 

"We can go to the Boardwalk any time," Mecale stated, "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to sell you script. Go! Have fun!" 

"Mecale, you don't have to pretend to be excited for me," Kouji told her. 

"I'm not pretending." She wasn't. She honestly felt excited for him. She wanted him to go and sell the script. Mecale suddenly wondered if she was developing feelings for Kouji. 

"Are you sure?" Kouji persisted, "because I can always reschedule…" 

"No you can't!" Mecale exclaimed, as if the very idea was unthinkable. "You are going to meet with that producer guy and you are going to sell that script. Is that understood?" 

"Yes ma'am!" Kouji saluted her with a grin. 

"Sorry," Mecale smiled, "Sometimes I get a little carried away." 

"I'm going to go get ready," Kouji informed and went down the hallway. Mecale rinsed their dishes and put them in the dishwasher. She had watched Kouji operate the machine at least once a day and knew how to turn it on. After that was finished, Mecale sat down on the couch to watch her cartoons. 

Kouji came into the living room twenty minutes later freshly washed and groomed. He grabbed his car keys off the counter and headed towards the door. 

"Bye Mecale," he called, "I'll try to hurry back. If it's going to be a really long time, I'll try to call and let you know." 

"Okay," Mecale said, "Have fun. Bye." 

Kouji left the apartment and Mecale turned back to her cartoons. After about an hour, she began to get bored and decided to watch a movie. She went to the cabinet that housed Kouji's DVDs and her eyes were immediately pulled to the movie he had written. She had been so shocked the night before that she hadn't really paid attention. She grabbed the movie and put into the DVD player. She pushed play and the movie began to roll. 

Forty minutes later, Mecale had already found five things that weren't right. For starters, Hitomi (or Stacy as she was called in the movie) had a brother, not a sister. Second, "Aiden" (Van) was not King until after he brought back the "dragon's heart" (energist). Third, her father (who the movie portrayed as an evil bastard named Jonah) lost his right arm, not his left. Fourth, Dilandau (called Evan in the movie) was male, not female. Lastly, her mother (known as Kira in the movie) never tried to escape from the "flying warship" (floating fortress). 

"Wow Kouji," Mecale said to the empty apartment, "you could've at least tried to listen to your mother's story." Mecale continued to watch the movie, pointing out various mistakes or untruths in the plot and characters. The movie was almost over when the telephone rang. Thinking it was Kouji, Mecale hurried over to answer it. 

"Hello?" 

There was silence on the line and then a female voice. "Is this Kouji Susumu's apartment?" 

"Yes," Mecale answered, barely able to keep the irritation out of her voice that a woman would be calling him. 

"Who is this?" the woman asked. 

"Mecale." 

"Are you his girlfriend?" the woman asked. 

"What?" Mecale was completely surprised by the woman's question. "No. Why? Who is this?" 

"I'm Kouji's mother." 

Mecale nearly dropped the phone. It was Yukari! _What am I going to do now?_ she thought. 

"Hello?" Yukari's voice floated out of the telephone, "Are you still there?" 

"Y…yes," Mecale stammered. "Yes Mrs. Susumu, I'm still here." 

"Good," Yukari said, "Tell me young lady, if you aren't Kouji's girlfriend, what are you doing in his apartment?" 

"Um…I'm staying here for a while," Mecale answered lamely. 

"Why?" 

"Well, uh…because I can't go home," Mecale replied. At least it wasn't a lie. 

"How long have you been staying with Kouji?" Yukari inquired. 

"Seven days." 

"Really? Well, let me talk to him." 

"He's not here right now Mrs. Susumu," Mecale informed, "He's at a meeting with a potential buyer for one of his scripts." 

"Well, um…what did you say your name was?" 

"Mecale." 

"Well, Mecale, when Kouji gets back you tell him to call his mother immediately," Yukari instructed. 

"Yes Mrs. Susumu." 

"And if I find out you are his girlfriend, I'm going to be very displeased with both of you." Yukari hung up without saying goodbye. 

Mecale replaced the receiver on the cradle and slumped down on the couch. "Why didn't I just let the machine get it?" she asked out loud. 

------------------------------------------ 

Kouji returned home around 7:00 at night. Mecale looked up from the program she was watching and almost laughed at his disheveled appearance. 

"What happened to you?" Mecale questioned. 

"Don't ask," Kouji instructed and tossed his keys on the counter. "All that matters is that I sold the script." 

"Really?!" Mecale jumped off the couch. "That's great!" 

"Yeah," Kouji nodded, "so did anything interesting happen around here while I was gone?" 

Mecale remembered the call from Yukari and cringed. Kouji noticed her reaction to his question and frowned. 

"What?" 

"Um, you know how you said you might call if you were late?" Mecale reminded. 

"Yes…" 

"Well, about two or three hours after you left, the phone rang," Mecale told him, "and I thought it was you so I answered it." 

"But it wasn't me," Kouji added. 

"No." 

"Who was it?" The look on Kouji's face hinted that he already knew. 

Mecale smiled and cringed again. "Your mother." 

"My mother," Kouji repeated, "Great. What did she say?" 

"She accused me of being your girlfriend and told me to tell you to call her as soon as you got home," Mecale relayed. 

"Wonderful," Kouji mumbled and walked over to the phone. He dialed and waited for someone to pick up. "Miaka? Hi! It's me. Can I talk to mom?" He paused and then, "Hi mom! I'm fine. I called as soon as I got your message. Yes, I sold my newest script. Yeah. Mecale? She's just a friend. No mom, not a girlfriend, just a friend. Because I didn't think it was that important. Yes mom, I promise. Next time one of my friends comes to stay with me, I'll let you know immediately. O…okay mom. I gotta go. Okay mom, I love you. Okay, bye!" Kouji hung up the phone quickly and took a deep breath. 

"I'm so sorry Kouji," Mecale exclaimed, "I didn't mean to get you into trouble with your mother." 

"It's no big deal," Kouji shrugged it off, "she's just afraid that I'll get married without telling her. She's scared to death that her oldest child will turn his back on his family. She didn't want me to come out here in the first place." 

"Oh. Hey, who's Miaka?" Mecale asked, referring to the first person he had spoken to on the phone. 

"Miaka is one of my sisters," Kouji told her, "I have five brothers and sisters, all younger than me. Miaka is the middle girl, she's thirteen. My oldest sister, Kagome, is fifteen. My oldest brother, Yusuke, is sixteen. My youngest brother and sister, Tetsuya and Makoto, are ten. They're twins." 

"It must be nice to have so many siblings," Mecale commented. 

"Don't you have any brothers or sisters?" Kouji questioned. 

"No," Mecale answered, then quickly added, "I mean, I don't think I do." _Almost blew that one._

"It's not as much fun as you'd think, trust me," Kouji assured. "Growing up, there were constant fights. I don't know how my parents put up with it." Kouji paused and looked down at his watch. "I'll take a quick shower and then we'll head to the Boardwalk." 

"Isn't it a little late for that?" Mecale asked, "The sun will set in an hour." 

"The Boardwalk is open until ten," Kouji told her, "and trust me, it's more fun at night. Take a sweater though because it can be kind of chilly right by the water, especially if the wind is blowing." 

Kouji disappeared down the hallway and Mecale waited until she heard the shower turn on to go and get her sweater. She also changed from the shorts she was wearing into a pair of Capri's, then went into the living room to wait for Kouji. He came out fifteen minutes later, ready to go. He grabbed his car keys and the two of them headed to the car. 

After a ten minute drive, Kouji parked in a parking lot in front of a pier covered in carnival style rides and booths. The sun was just starting to sink into the western sky and a few of the lights had come on around the pier. They walked up to the front gate and Kouji paid the ten dollar admission fee. Once inside, the smell of popcorn, cotton candy, corn dogs and seawater assaulted their nostrils. 

"Well, what do you want to go on first?" Kouji questioned. 

Mecale pointed to a huge, circular ride. "That." 

"That it is." Kouji bought tickets for the Ferris wheel and they waited in line to be seated. Once they were, their car was moved higher and higher to allow all the cars to be filled. A slight breeze rocked the car as it stopped at the top and Mecale gripped Kouji's arm. 

"It's okay," Kouji smiled, "It's not gonna tip." 

Mecale smiled sheepishly and let go of his arm. "Sorry." 

The rest of the Ferris wheel was loaded and the ride began its course. After the Ferris wheel, Kouji and Mecale went on the Hammer, the Tilt o' Whirl, the rollercoaster and the bumper cars. 

"Let's get something to eat," Kouji suggested as they got off the bumper cars. 

"Okay," Mecale agreed and he led her over to the food court. They ordered their food and sat down at one of the tables to eat. By this time, the sun had set and the Boardwalk was lit up like Las Vegas. Music from a local pop station was playing through speakers set in the ceiling of the food pavilion and a few people were dancing on a raised concrete area that was used for live bands that often played at the Boardwalk. 

"So, are you having fun?" Kouji asked. 

"Yes," Mecale answered with a smile, "this place is great!" 

"I'm glad you like it," Kouji commented. 

"I'm glad we came so late," Mecale said, "I can't imagine it's this beautiful during the day." 

Kouji smiled at her but didn't say anything. On the overhead speakers, Savage Garden's "Truly, Madly, Deeply" began to play and a few couple began to slow dance on the stage. Kouji turned to Mecale, a smile on his face. 

"I don't suppose you'd like to dance?" 

Mecale's smile mirrored his own. "I'd love to." 

Kouji took her hand and led her onto the stage. He put his arms around her waist and she had no choice but to put hers around his neck. They began to sway to the music and Mecale marveled at how different Kouji's touch felt compared to Riley's. Mecale had danced with Riley many times and had never felt like she did right now in Kouji's arms. It was like the entire world had disappeared and they were the only two people left on the planet, dancing to music that played just for them. 

Mecale looked up into his deep brown eyes and realized the feelings she had for Kouji were much more developed than she had first thought. She was falling in love with him. This simple truth hit her and she was so surprised, she didn't know what to think. Once she did begin to think about it, it made perfect sense. No one had ever made her feel the way she felt when she was around Kouji. Just being with him put her in a good mood because she didn't have to pretend around him. She didn't have to be Mecale Inara de Fanel, Princess of Fanelia and heir to the throne. She could just be Mecale. Kouji gave her freedom, freedom that no one else had ever really given her. 

Suddenly, it dawned on Mecale why she had been sent to the Mystic Moon in the first place. That night, in the forest, she had prayed to God to help her make the decision of whether or not to marry Riley. It all made sense now. Her prayers had been answered by sending her to meet Kouji. Now that she knew him and knew how she felt about him, there was no way she could marry Riley. She didn't love him and never would. 

"I wanna stand with you on a mountain, I wanna bathe with you in the sea, I wanna lay like this forever…" 

The song continued to play and Mecale moved a little closer to Kouji. It was an unconscious act and she was surprised when she felt him pull her even closer. Her gaze had drifted away from his face as the thoughts had run through her head but now her lavender eyes were back on his dark brown ones. Before she knew what was happening, he bent down and brushed his lips lightly across hers. Too shocked to react, Mecale stared up at him with wide eyes. 

A look of regret came over Kouji's face and he spoke. "Mecale, I'm sorry. I shouldn't…" 

His words were cut off as she stretched up and kissed him back. Mecale had never kissed a boy before and had only been kissed once by Riley, which resulted in him rolling on the ground, screaming in pain from a kick between the legs. This was nothing like that. Kouji reacted by kissing her back and they stood there, lost in their own little world until the song ended. The first notes of a new, faster song broke the spell and they pulled away from each other. 

"Wow," Kouji said with a grin, causing Mecale to smile as well. "I…I just…wow." 

Mecale giggled slightly, something she hadn't done since she was a child. "Is that it? Wow?" 

"Yeah," Kouji agreed, "I think that about sums it up." 

Mecale laughed again, as did Kouji. He held out his hand to her. "Well, Miss Fanel, what do you say we go and try to wind you a stuffed animal or two?" 

Mecale took his hand. "Okay." 

Kouji entwined his fingers with hers and the two of them disappeared into the Boardwalk crowd. 

------------------------------------------------ 

That night while hugging the stuffed bear Kouji had won her, Mecale contemplated the events of the evening. It had all happened so fast. Mecale smiled dreamily and drifted off to sleep, hoping that such a good day would drive away the terrible nightmares she had been having. 

_The figure that emerged from the shadow was a man, tall and muscular and dressed all in black. His long, white hair framed his handsome face and he had an aura of mystery about him that unexplainably drew Mecale to him. She had the urge to approach him, even though she still feared the evil she had felt not a moment before. As if reading her thoughts, he stepped forward. _

"Mecale," he whispered in a voice so soft it sounded like the wind moving through the trees. 

Mecale stared up at him, the fear creeping up in her again because he knew her name but she didn't know him. "Who are you?" 

"I am your destiny Mecale," the man told her. The gentleness of his voice eased some of her fears and she relaxed slightly. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean what I say," the man answered cryptically and held his hand out to her. "Come Mecale. It is time." 

"Time for what?" Mecale demanded. She was angry at the vague way he answered her questions but even more angry at the way she had almost taken his hand without question. 

"Time for your destiny." 

Suddenly, a feeling of pure bliss descended on Mecale and she smiled. She felt completely detached from her body and watched as her hand stretched out to his. It was as if she were watching from underwater. The images were slightly distorted and wavy. There was a tiny part of her that screamed at her to run but she ignored it. Why give in to the fear when happiness was so close at hand? The man was right. It was time, time for her destiny. 

"No!" 

The shout tore Mecale out of her semi-hypnotic state and she focused just in time to see Kouji jump between her and the man. He was dressed in full Fanelian armor and wielding a sword. He swung it at the man, who gracefully jumped back to dodge the blow. 

"Stay away from her!" Kouji ordered. 

"Foolish boy," the man growled, "how dare you stand between me and my destiny." 

"She's not your destiny!" Kouji shouted angrily, "and I won't let you have her!" 

"She is mine!" the man snarled, "And you will not keep me from her!" 

The man lunged for Kouji and caught him by the front of his armor. The man flung Kouji several feet, past Mecale and into an outcropping of rocks. Kouji hit the rocks hard and then crumpled to the ground. 

"Kouji!" Mecale screamed and started to run to him. She was stopped by an icy cold hand on her wrist. She spun around and came face to face with the man from the shadow. 

"You belong to me!" he hissed, his previously handsome features now twisted with rage. 

"NO!" Mecale shrieked as the man began to drag her back towards the shadow. She struggled and kicked but it was no use. The man was just too strong for her. She looked over her shoulder, hoping that Kouji was awake but he remained lying in the same position, motionless. It was then that Mecale realized he was dead. 

"Kouji!" she wailed in despair, "no!" She still struggled against the man but it was pointless. He had already disappeared into the shadow and was dragging her along with him. Mecale cast one last glance over her shoulder before disappearing into the blackness. 

"Kouji!" 

***************************** 

This chapter actually had some length to it. That's because it wasn't boring to write. I also have the next two chapters written and I'm working on Ch. 10. The story is picking up. I hope you enjoy. 

I don't own Savage Garden. 

I don't own Fushigi Yuugi, Yu-Yu Hakusho, Inuyasha or Sailor Moon. (I took Kouji's sibling's names from those shows. A shiny star to anyone who can tell me which names came from which shows.) 

**To Gwuinny:**I liked your idea about having Yukari break up the kiss but it would be kinda hard to do from Japan so I had her call instead. I had originally planned on putting the call in somewhere but I had completely forgotten about it until I read your review. Thanks for the reminder. 

When I wrote this chapter, I completely forgot about time difference so if you figure it out and Kouji called Yukari at 3:00 in the morning or vice versa, sorry. Besides, I don't know the time difference between California and Japan. 

I think that does it for author's comments on this one. Tune in next time for Chapter 8 or Golden Angel, entitled "Dinner and a Movie." 


	9. Dinner and A Movie

**Chapter 8: Dinner and A Movie**

"Mecale!" 

Mecale's eyes shot wide open and she was surprised and relieved to see Kouji bending over her. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly while tears ran down her cheeks. 

"Kouji…" Mecale whimpered as he sat down on the bed and pulled her into his arms. 

"Are you okay?" he asked and pulled back from her a little. 

Mecale nodded and wiped the tears off of her face. "Yes, I'm fine." 

"Are you sure?" Kouji persisted, "You were calling out to me in your sleep and you sounded upset." 

"It was just another nightmare," Mecale told him. 

"Nightmare about what?" Kouji questioned, "and what do you mean 'another'?" 

"I've been having nightmares for the past four nights," Mecale explained, "they are all the same, well actually, they are continued from the one before." 

"Do you want to tell me about them?" Kouji asked while gently stroking her hair. 

"No," Mecale shook her head, "I just want to forget about it." 

"Okay," Kouji relented, "Do you feel up for a jog?" 

"Yes," Mecale replied, "I think a jog will help clear my mind." 

Kouji let go of Mecale and gathered his jogging outfit, then left so she could change. She quickly put on her jogging clothes and hurried out into the living room. The most recent nightmare had scared her more than she cared to admit and she didn't want to be left alone, even for a minute. Kouji smiled at her when she emerged from the hallway. 

"Let's go," she said and smiled slightly. She started to walk past Kouji to the door but was stopped by his hand around her wrist. She was momentarily reminded of the way the man's cold hand had snared her wrist in the dream and she suppressed a wave of terror as she turned to Kouji. His face was serious. 

"Mecale," he began and gently stroked the blue streak on the left side of her face, "If you want to talk about the nightmare later, just let me know and we'll talk okay? I can see that it's still bothering you." 

"Okay," Mecale agreed. Kouji smiled again and kissed her forehead gently, then they left. 

The morning jog went like it did every day. The two of them were silent until they reached the overlook. There, they watched the sun rise and talked about various things. On the way back to the apartment, they were quiet once again so they didn't wear themselves out while running. 

When they got back to the apartment, Kouji had a message on his answering machine from his agent. It said to call him back as soon as Kouji got the message. Mecale went to take a shower while Kouji called his agent back. 

After Mecale had emerged form the shower, Kouji explained over breakfast what his agent had said. The producer that Kouji had met with yesterday was going to Kouji's agent's office to fill out a few papers in order to purchase Kouji's script. His agent wanted Kouji to be home in case he needed to go to the office and do anything. His agent said that he would call once the papers had been signed and let Kouji know. 

"So I guess there's nothing we can do but sit and wait," Kouji concluded. 

------------------------------- 

"Are you sure you have to leave so soon?" Adrina questioned, "You barely just got here." 

"I know," Millerna agreed, "but with the threat of the shadow, word will spread fast. We should be in Asturia to maintain control." 

"We understand," Folken assured. 

"Remember," Allen told them, "You are welcome in Asturia at any time. If this threat grows too close to Fanelia, come to Asturia and maybe we can figure something out together." 

"Thank you for your generosity," Adrina said. 

"We had better get going," Millerna commented, "we have a long journey ahead of us." Millerna turned to where all of the children were saying goodbye. "Riley, Kolena, Erika, Alexia! Come, it's time to leave!" 

"Send word as soon as Mecale returns," Erika told Siri. 

"I will." Siri hugged Erika, then Kolena. 

"If things get too bad here, promise me you'll come to stay with us," Kolena urged. 

"I promise," Siri swore, "goodbye." 

The three princesses hugged again and then the Asturians made their way to the carriage. Alexia was already there, bawling her eyes out into her mother's skirt, just as Dolyn and Zara were doing to Merle. Riley was the only Schezar that was still standing with the Fanels. 

"Come on Riley," Allen called, "We need to get moving." 

"I'm not coming with you." 

All eyes turned to the blonde man. "What?" 

"I'm staying here," Riley confirmed, "to wait for Mecale." 

"That's really not necessary," Folken insisted, "You'll be informed as soon as she returns." 

"I want to be here when she returns," Riley stated, "I am still waiting for her to reply to my proposal." 

Adrina and Folken looked at each other worriedly. "But Riley, it is becoming dangerous to stay here…" 

"If Mecale must face this danger, then I will too," Riley told them, earning some skeptical looks from the gathered people. "I will be Mecale's knight, just as my father was to my mother." 

"Very well Riley," Allen agreed, "You may stay." 

The rest of the Schezars got into the carriage and started on their journey back to Asturia. Meanwhile, the occupants of the Fanelian palace and the remaining Schezar had gone back inside to attend to daily tasks. In the parlor outside their bedchambers, the King and Queen were deep in discussion. 

"This is a big mistake, letting him stay here," Folken said as he paced the room in front of where Adrina sat on the couch. "He will not react well when Mecale returns with her samurai." 

"I know," Adrina admitted, "but there is nothing that can be done about it now." 

"What if we sent him back to Asturia, claiming it is too dangerous here?" Folken suggested. 

"What about the other children?" Adrina inquired, "Golan and Siri and Zara and Dolyn? If we send Riley by himself, they will know something is up." 

"Then we just send all of them," Folken concluded. 

"There is no point," Adrina told him, "Golan and Siri would fight it as much as they could and in the end, Riley would end up staying anyway. He truly believes that Mecale will accept his proposal." 

"Is that boy blind?" Folken questioned, "Does he not see that Mecale can't stand him?" 

"He sees what he wants to see," Adrina said, "You know how love is." 

"But he doesn't love her!" Folken insisted, "He want her to sit next to him on the throne as a trophy and show her off." 

"I know that and so does Mecale," Adrina assured, "that's why it doesn't matter if Riley is here or not. Mecale has already chosen her samurai and it isn't Riley. There is nothing he can do about it." 

Folken sighed. "I hope you are right." 

------------------------------------- 

The ringing of the telephone jarred Kouji from his doze on the couch. He looked down and found Mecale resting on his chest, asleep as well. The tow of them had been cuddling on the couch and watching TV when they had obviously fallen asleep at some point. Kouji gently slid out from beneath Mecale and answered the phone. When he hung up a few minutes later, he saw Mecale looking at him over the back of the couch. 

"Was that your agent?" she asked. 

"Yeah," Kouji answered and walked back over to the couch. He sat down next to Mecale. "He said everything is finished." 

Mecale smiled. "Congratulations." 

"Thank you," Kouji said, "Well, now we can go do something. What time is it?" 

"I don't know," Mecale replied, "I fell asleep." 

"Me too." Kouji grabbed the satellite remote off of the coffee table and pushed the "info" button. The channel and program name, as well as the time, popped up on the TV screen. The digital clock read 6:03. 

"Whoa, it's 6:00 already," Kouji commented, "it looks like it might rain too." 

Mecale looked out the window and saw huge gray clouds covered the sky. 

"Well, I guess anything outdoors is out," Kouji surmised, "We could go out to dinner and then to a movie? What do you think?" 

"I think I like that idea," Mecale agreed. 

"Good, let's get going," Kouji said. 

"It's not going to be too cold is it?" Mecale asked. When it rained in Fanelia, the temperature dropped twenty degrees, in winter or summer. 

"It might get a little chilly after dark," Kouji replied, "You might want to grab a sweater." 

"Okay." Mecale went into the bedroom and came back a moment later carrying a dark blue zip-up sweater. She put it on over her white tank top that depicted a red sunset and black palm tree and they left the apartment. 

In the car, Kouji left the top up in anticipation of the impending rain. Kouji drove them to a nearby restaurant called Sizzler's (AN: I don't own Sizzler's) where they had dinner. After dinner they made their way to the movies. By the time the movie let out, it was around 9:30. 

Kouji and Mecale walked out of the theater and were surprised to see that the entire parking lot was soaked. The parking lot lights caused the water on the cars and the rain still falling to sparkle like polished jewels. 

"Looks like we're going to have to make a run for it," Kouji commented, "Unless you want me to go get the car and bring it up here." 

"No way," Mecale shook her head, "I love the rain!" She grabbed Kouji's hand and drug him out into the downpour. The two of them ran hand-in-hand through the parking lot, splashing into puddles and getting their shoes wet. By the time they reached the car, they were both completely drenched. 

"That was fun," Kouji joked as he started the car. He let it run for a few minutes in the parking lot, then turned on the heater. 

"That feels nice," Mecale told him as the hot air blew onto her wet clothes and skin. 

Kouji backed out of the parking space and pulled out into traffic. "Aw man, the road is going to be crazy. People are always crashing when it rains. I'm taking a detour." 

Kouji turned left at the next light and they found themselves on a quiet, barely lit road that wound around through a neighborhood. 

"This way is longer but with the traffic there is bound to be, it'll probably be quicker than taking the normal route," Kouji informed. 

As they drove down the nearly deserted road, the two of them talked about the movie they had seen. The road they were on wound in and out of the neighborhoods and barren land. After a while, Mecale began to get hot and took off her sweater. Kouji offered to turn the heater down but she declined. 

After about fifteen minutes, they came to a stretch of road that ran through uncultivated land. The rain was still coming down and it was quite dark. The only lights that could be seen were Kouji's headlights illuminating the road in front of them. 

"We're almost home," Kouji stated, "As soon as we get around a few curves, the road will slope back down to Main Street." 

Mecale nodded but was watching the road around them. The strip of road they were currently on was barely wide enough for tow cars and had a one hundred foot drop on each side. Metal guardrails lined both sides of the road but didn't look like they could stop a car. Down below on the left side, lights twinkled and Mecale figured they belonged to houses. 

As Mecale looked back up at the road in front of them, an uneasy feeling came over her. She had the sudden urge to get out of the car and walk the rest of the way. Kouji must have noticed the uneasiness on her face because he spoke. 

"Mecale? What's wro…" 

He never finished his sentence. Suddenly, the car hit a slick patch of road and began to fishtail. Kouji tried to correct it but he ground was too wet. Mecale watched in horror as the car careened towards the left guardrail. There was an intense impact as the car slammed into the metal and then nothing. 

***************************** 

This chapter is short only because this and the next chapter were originally going to be one but it was way too long so I broke it into two parts. 


	10. The Truth Comes Out

**Chapter 9: The Truth Comes Out**

Mecale awoke slowly. Her first conscious sensation was the sound of rain pounding down all around her and an odd, shrill, squeaking sound. Disoriented and confused, Mecale tried to open her eyes only to find that the right one was stuck shut. She lifted her hand up and touched the eyelid. Her fingers came away wet and sticky. Suddenly frightened, she opened her left eye and saw that she was inside Kouji's car, still strapped in. 

Still not knowing what was going on, Mecale looked around. Inside, the car was dark but the headlights were still on and pointing downward. Mecale looked out the cracked windshield down the mangled body and saw a one hundred foot drop illuminated by the high beams. It was then that she remembered the crash. 

Almost instantly, she began to panic. _I'm going to die!_ she thought. _No, no. You need to calm down. Just breathe. You can get out of this._ Mecale took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She assumed that the sticky substance on her eye and head was blood, which meant she was injured. She didn't know how bad the wound was and she didn't have time to contemplate it. She heard the shrill screeching again and realized it was the car sliding farther off the cliff. Somehow, it was caught but wouldn't be for long. 

The first thing Mecale did was brace herself against the dashboard with her feet and undid her seatbelt. She needed to wipe the blood out of her eye so she could see. She remembered taking off her sweater and throwing it on the floor but she didn't dare lean forward and get it. She knew that any change in the car could send it tumbling off the cliff. 

Mecale decided that her tank top would work fine. She pulled the shirt off and wiped her face. She gasped when the clothing touched what she assumed was a cut and bit her lip to keep from passing out. Once the blood was gone and she could see again, Mecale turned to Kouji. She could see that he was slumped in the driver's seat and wasn't moving but the interior was too dark to make out anything else. 

"Please let him be alive, please let him be alive," Mecale prayed as she slowly reached up and turned on the interior light. The car creaked and moved a couple of inches, making Mecale think that they were going over. When the car stopped moving, Mecale focused on Kouji. She could see that he was breathing but had a gash in the middle of his forehead, probably from the steering wheel. She slowly undid his seatbelt, causing him to slide forward and making the car drop a few more inches. It wouldn't be long before whatever was holding the car let go and they plunged to their deaths. 

"Come on Mecale," she said out loud, "You can do this." 

Mecale put her tank top in the pocket of her shorts in case she needed it to bandage Kouji's wounds. She tried to open the passenger door. I wouldn't budge. She took another deep breath and ever so slowly reached over and tried the driver's door. She felt it start to open but gently shut it again. She didn't want to open it until she was ready. 

By this time, she was leaning behind Kouji with her feet still against the dashboard. Very slowly, she inched her way over so that she was sitting behind Kouji with her legs to his right. Mecale put both of her arms around Kouji and slowly pulled him against her, testing his weight. He weighed more than she did but she was pretty sure she could carry him. 

Now Mecale turned her body so that her back was up against the driver's door and her feet were pushed against the passenger's seat. She had one arm around Kouji, holding him so he was keeping her from sliding forward, and one hand on the door handle. The car was creaking madly now but still held on. 

"Here we go," Mecale whispered and threw the driver's door open. She felt the car begin to slid and wrapping both arms around Kouji, pushed herself off of the passenger seat as hard as she could, propelling both of them into the air and away from the now falling car. 

Mecale clutched Kouji tightly and they began to plummet the one hundred feet to the ground below. Suddenly, two golden wings erupted from Mecale's back, stopping their descent. She quickly flew away from the car, which by this time had hit the ground and exploded. Mecale knew the fire would attract people so she flew along the cliff side back the way they had come until she was satisfied that no one would see them. The rain was still pounding down around them when Mecale landed and gently placed Kouji on the ground, giving her aching arms a break. 

Once she had landed, Mecale was able to see Kouji's wound better. The cut wasn't very big, only about an inch across and didn't seem to be too deep. Mecale leaned over Kouji so her wings were blocking the rain from his face and pulled the tank top out of her pocket. Her wound was still bleeding but the rain was washing the blood away, so she didn't worry about it for the moment. 

Mecale took the rain soaked tank top and quickly washed the blood away from Kouji's wound. As she did this, he began to stir and she pulled her hand away but still kept her wings above him as a shield from the rain. He groaned and then slowly opened his eyes. 

"Kouji?" 

"Mecale?" Kouji blinked a few times, "Ugh, my vision is all blurry. What happened?" 

"The car went over the cliff," Mecale told him. 

He blinked a few more times. "Oh my God. Are you okay?" 

"Yes," she assured, "I just have a little cut on my head. So do you." 

"That explains the blurriness." Kouji closed his eyes tightly, trying to clear his vision. He opened them slowly and blinked a few more times. "That's better. Anyway, how did…" Kouji trailed off and Mecale noticed his gaze was focused on something behind her. His face held a look of disbelief and shock. He sat up quickly and backed away from her. 

Startled by his reaction, Mecale stood up, the tank top still in her hand. "Kouji, what…?" 

"W…what the Hell are you?" Kouji stammered. 

Suddenly, it dawned on Mecale. Her wings. She had been using them to shield Kouji from the rain and hadn't even realized they were still out. She took a step back, hurt beyond words by his reaction. "Kouji, I…" 

She didn't even know what to say. His reaction had hurt her so deeply that she was at a loss for words. Kouji was silent also, still staring at the golden appendages rising from her back. Mecale couldn't stand it any longer. She dismissed her wings in a flurry of gold feathers and then turned from Kouji and ran. The rain was coming down harder than ever an she thought she heard him call to her as she dashed towards the houses she had seen from the road. The cold rain stung the bare flesh of her back, arms, stomach and face, especially where the hot tears had left trails of warmth from her eyes down to her cheeks. As she ran, she put her tank top back on over her bra, though it was pitifully little protection against the pelting rain. 

Mecale reached the outskirts of the dark neighborhood and stopped. The only light was the spaced out street lamps and she assumed those were the lights she had seen from the road. All of the houses were dark, suggesting that nobody yet lived in them. She had no idea where she was or where she was going. She was still contemplating her dilemma when she heard footsteps running behind her. She was surprised to see Kouji sprinting towards her. The last person she wanted to see at that moment was him and she took off down one of the darkened neighborhood streets, hoping to outrun him but knowing that she couldn't. 

"Mecale!" she heard him call but she kept running. She had barely made it to the first cross street when she felt his hand close over her wrist. She spun around and pulled at her arm wildly. 

"Let me go!" she shrieked, her voice barely audible over the pounding rain. 

"Mecale, stop," Kouji insisted and held on to her wrist. She continued to struggle but it did no good. Kouji held on to her wrist until she felt she would pass out from exertion. 

"Please!" Mecale begged when she felt her strength waning, "Please just let me go!" 

"No," Kouji responded, "I am not going to let you run out into the city with a head injury in the rain." 

"Then pretend it's not raining and I don't have a head injury and let me go!" Mecale shouted and tugged one last time without results. Seeing the situation was hopeless, tears began to fall again, feeling like rivers of lava on her cold face. 

"Mecale," Kouji whispered, "Please don't cry. I'm sorry." He reached up to wipe the tears off of her face but she jerked away. "Mecale…" 

"A Draconian," she spat suddenly. 

"What?" Kouji asked, confused. 

"You asked what the Hell I am," Mecale reminded bitterly, "I am a Draconian. The story your mother told you is true." 

Kouji stared at her in disbelief. "You're joking right?" 

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Mecale demanded, "You saw them with your own two eyes. How could I be joking?" 

"You," Kouji murmured, "That's how we got out of the car. You… you flew us to safety." 

"So what?" Mecale snapped. 

"My mother was telling the truth?" Kouji said in dazed wonder. "So then that means you're from Gaea?" 

"Yes." 

"And the amnesia?" Kouji persisted, "It was just a cover, wasn't it?" 

Mecale nodded. "Now will you please just let me go?" 

Kouji looked hurt for a moment and then his face turned to a mask of sorrow and regret. "Mecale, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…I wasn't trying to hurt you…" 

"Well you did a good job of it anyway!" Mecale cried, fresh tears springing into her eyes. 

"Mecale, I'm so sorry," Kouji repeated and pulled her into his arms. "Please forgive me. I was just startled and …" 

"You don't have to explain," Mecale told him, "I've gotten that reaction before." 

"On Gaea?" Kouji questioned. Mecale nodded. "But why?" 

"On Gaea, many people consider Draconians demons," Mecale explained. 

"Demons?" Kouji asked. "You're no demon. More like an angel." 

Mecale smiled despite her tears. "You really think so?" 

"Of course," Kouji admitted, "but I think we should talk about this somewhere warm." He looked at the street sign they were standing near. "I know where we are. This is the new neighborhood they built. We're just a couple of blocks away from the apartment. Come on." 

Mecale wasn't sure if she forgave him or not but she didn't want to freeze to death out on the street, so she followed him the few blocks back to his apartment. Once inside, they changed into dry clothes and then bandaged their wounds. Then Kouji made hot chocolate and the two of them sat down on the couch. Neither one of them had said anything since they left the deserted neighborhood and now Mecale was the first to speak. 

"Kouji?" 

He looked up at her. 

"Why did you act that way when you saw my wings?" 

Kouji put his mug of hot chocolate on the coffee table and took hers out of her hands, placing it on the table next to his. He took her hands into his and then spoke. "At first, I was shocked and didn't know what to think. Then I realized we had been in a car accident and I thought you had died and been turned into an angel. I thought you had come to say goodbye. I was so hurt and scared that I was losing you that I said the first thing that popped into my head. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Can you forgive me?" 

Mecale looked at him for a moment, then smiled. "Yes." 

"Good." Kouji pulled Mecale against him and she rested her head on his shoulder. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "Mecale?" 

"Hmm?" 

"Can I see them again?" 

Mecale looked up at him. "My wings?" 

"Yeah." 

Mecale stood up in front of the couch. She pulled the sweater she was wearing over her head to reveal her back but left it on her arms and held it so it covered her bra in the front. A second later, the golden wings he had seen earlier spread out behind Mecale. Soft feathers floated down onto the table and carpet as she flexed the wings gently. 

Kouji stared at the vision in front of him, this time in awe. "They're beautiful." 

Mecale blushed slightly. "Draconian's wings are supposed to be white but because my parents are direct descendents of the first two Draconians, my wings are gold." 

Kouji stood up in front of her. "I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life." 

"Stop it," Mecale grinned, "You don't have to flatter me. I told you I forgive you." 

"I'm not flattering you," Kouji told her. He slowly reached his hand towards the metallic colored appendages. "Can I…?" 

"Yes." 

Kouji touched the soft feathers of Mecale's wings and felt them move under his touch. She also giggled softly. He looked at her questioningly. 

"It tickles," she informed. 

"You can feel with them?" he asked in surprise. 

"Of course," Mecale replied, "they are a part of my body." 

"They're amazing," Kouji breathed and stroked the feathers. "People on Gaea think Draconians are demons? How could anyone look at you and not think you are a gift from God? I feel like I'm not even worthy to look at you." 

"Oh please," Mecale rolled her eyes, "Birds have wings. You don't fawn over them do you?" 

"Maybe if I found a bird that was as gorgeous as you I would," Kouji grinned. Mecale blushed and looked away from him. He gently guided her face back so that she was looking at him and he kissed her. When they pulled away from each other, her blush was gone and she was looking up at him with a serious expression. 

"I think I have to go home," Mecale told him. 

"When?" 

"Soon," Mecale answered, "the dreams I've been having, I think they are trying to tell me something." 

"I want to know all about it," Kouji said. 

"My dream?" 

"Gaea," Kouji corrected, "I want to know everything there is to know." 

"All right," Mecale agreed. Her wings vanished and she slipped her sweater back on, then sat back down. "Where to begin…" 

"How about telling me about your family?" Kouji suggested. 

"Okay," Mecale agreed. "Well, I don't have any siblings. My birth was very hard on my mother. She almost died and therefore couldn't have any more children. My cousins are like my siblings. I have four of them. Golan is nineteen and Siri is sixteen. They are brother and sister and are my father's brothers children. Then there is Dolyn and Zara. They are twins and they are nine. They are my mother's sister's children. I have two aunts and two uncles, one set from my mother's side and one set from my father's side. Oh, and before I forget, there are some mistakes in your movie." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, I was not happy with the way you portrayed my father," Mecale began. 

"Your father?" Kouji repeated, "Your father was a character in my movie?" 

"Of course," Mecale replied. 

"Who?" 

"Folken Laceur de Fanel," Mecale answered. 

Kouji stared at her wide-eyed and open-mouthed. "Folken Fanel is your father?" She nodded. "Of course! You told me your name is Mecale Fanel." He thought for a moment. "So that means Hitomi…" 

"Is my aunt," Mecale finished for him, "she married my Uncle Van not long after the end of the war with Zaibach." 

"And your mother is…" 

"Adrina Krilee Celone de Fanel," Adrina announced proudly, "the best swordswoman on Gaea!" 

"So your Uncle Van is King of Fanelia?" Kouji inquired. 

"Not anymore," Mecale explained, "when my cousin Golan was born, my Uncle Van didn't want to run Fanelia anymore so he abdicated the throne to my father." 

"Your father is King?!" Kouji exclaimed, "Then that makes you…" 

"Princess Mecale Inara de Fanel," Mecale bowed, "sole heir to the kingdom of Fanelia." 

Once again, Kouji's eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open. "I don't believe it! I kissed a princess!" 

Mecale laughed. "Don't let it go to your head." 

"Your dad isn't going to come looking for me, is he?" Kouji asked. "You know, to hurt me?" 

"No," Mecale comforted, "my father isn't a violent person. He'd probably just scare you so bad that you'd never eve think about kissing me again." 

"It would have to be a pretty big scare," Kouji told her and brushed his lips against hers. 

"Good," Mecale grinned, "Because I like that." 

Kouji smiled. "Me too. Anyway, I want to hear more about your life on Gaea." 

"All right." 

Mecale and Kouji talked about Gaea for hours. It was almost 1:00 when Kouji finally let Mecale go to bed. She went into the bedroom but instead of changing into her pajamas, she put on a shirt and a pair of jeans. She also put on some socks and her Vans. She knew that the dreams meant something and she had to get back home quickly. Once she was dressed, she grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and wrote Kouji a goodbye note. She placed it on the bed and grabbed her stuffed bear. She put the bear into a handbag that Lisa had forced her to buy. She wanted to take the bear to remember Kouji by. 

Once she was ready, she crept out of the bedroom and down the hallway. She was just about to enter the living room when Kouji stepped out in front of her. Startled, she jumped back a step. 

"Kouji!" 

He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her. "Did you honestly think I would just let you leave without telling me?" 

"Uh…" Mecale noticed he was wearing the jeans and T-shirt he had changed into when they had gotten home. He was also sporting a backwards baseball cap. 

"You must think I'm pretty stupid if you didn't think I'd figure out that you were leaving tonight," Kouji continued. 

"I…" 

"So I've decided that since you think I'm stupid and you were just gonna skip out on me, you have to take me with you to Gaea to make up for it," Kouji concluded. 

"What?" 

"You heard me," Kouji said, "I'm coming with you." 

"But you can't…" Mecale started. 

"Why not?" 

_Because of the dream,_ Mecale thought, _If something is happening on Gaea, then the dream might come true and I couldn't bare that._

"The way I figure it, the dreams you've been having have something to do with Gaea and that's why you didn't want to talk about them," Kouji stated, "I also figure that I was in the dream on Gaea, so that means I have to come with you." 

"But Kouji, you don't understand," Mecale told him. 

His face turned serious and he cupped her cheek in his palm. "I know that something bad happened in your dream Mecale. Maybe to me, maybe to you, maybe to both of us. It doesn't matter because I'm not going to let it happen. I have this feeling that if I don't go with you, something terrible is going to happen. Maybe I'm wrong but I can't take that chance. I won't let anything happen to you." 

"Kouji…" 

"Don't try to talk me out of it," he smiled, "I've already got my lucky hat on." He touched the fading gray cap on his head. 

"All right," Mecale agreed, "we'll go together." 

Kouji took her hand and squeezed it. "Okay." 

The two of them left the apartment and walked up to the place where Kouji had first found her. 

"I figure if we leave from the same spot I arrived, then we'll arrive in the same spot I left from," Mecale told him. 

"Makes sense to me," Kouji nodded. 

"All right," Mecale instructed, "put your arms around me and hold on tight." 

Mecale folded her hands together and closed her eyes. "God, please help me. You answered my prayers by sending me here, now please, take us back to Gaea. I fear something bad is going to happen if I don't return soon." Mecale opened her eyes and saw her dragon pendant glowing brightly. She smiled and wrapped her arms around Kouji's neck. 

"Don't let go," she ordered. 

"I won't." 

The blue light descended from the sky, bathing them in it's eerie glow. She heard Kouji's gasp of surprise as the light began to lift them off the ground. Mecale closed her eyes as they rose higher and higher. Finally, the light swallowed them up, taking them both to Gaea. 

****************************** 

Yeah! They're going to Gaea! 


	11. Home

**Chapter 10: Home**

At the dining table in the Fanelian palace, lunch was being eaten. There wasn't much idle chitchat around the table as the moods of the diners were not jovial. The shadow was growing closer and Mecale still hadn't returned. 

Suddenly, at the exact same moment, Hitomi and Siri sprang up from the table, earning curious stares from the rest of the people at the table. 

"Mecale is back!" mother and daughter shouted in unison and dashed towards the dining room door. The other occupants of the room didn't hesitate to follow. 

-------------------------------------- 

Mecale opened her eyes and clinked against the harsh sunlight on her face. Once her eyes were used to the light, she looked around. Kouji was laying next to her, their arms still wrapped tightly around one another. She saw that they were laying in the soft grass of a clearing with a canopy of trees above them. She recognized the place immediately. 

"Kouji!" Mecale called and shook him, "Kouji, wake up!" 

Kouji groaned and his eyes fluttered open. "Huh?" He smiled when he saw Mecale. "Hey beautiful." 

Mecale grinned. "We're here." 

Kouji sat up suddenly, dragging Mecale with him. "We're here? This is Gaea?" 

"Yes," Mecale answered. "We're in a clearing in the Fanelian forest." 

Kouji got to his feet and helped Mecale up as well. "This is Gaea." 

"Come here," Mecale called and led him to the edge of the clearing where a path led through the forest. From their vantage point, they could see the Fanelian palace and part of the city. "That is the palace of Fanelia." 

Kouji stared at it in awe. "Wow." 

"Look there!" Mecale pointed to where a group of people emerged from the castle and made their way towards the forest. "That's my family! Come on! Let's go meet them." 

Mecale took Kouji's hand and the two of them sprinted down the forest trail towards the palace. They raced down the path hand in hand until her family came into view. Kouji then let go of her so she could go to them. 

Adrina was the first person Mecale encountered. Her mother wrapped her into a big hug. "Mecale, you're back! Are you all right?" 

"I'm fine mother," Mecale assured. 

"What happened to your head?" Adrina asked worriedly. 

"It's nothing," Mecale told her, "just a scratch." 

Next to Adrina, Riley stood, waiting for his turn to greet Mecale. He was shoved aside by Folken, who snatched his daughter up into his arms and hugged her tightly. 

"My sweet little Mecale," Folken gushed, "we were so worried about you!" 

"I'm fine, really," Mecale insisted, surprised by her father's outpouring of emotion. 

Mecale was welcomed by each member of her family, who all shoved Riley aside to get to her. Siri was the last to welcome back the princess. 

"Mecale, I'm so glad you're back," Siri told her while hugging her. "Things have been too dull without you." Siri released her cousin and looked past her. "Mecale, who's your friend?" 

"Back off Siri, he's already mine," Mecale whispered before turning to Kouji. She motioned him to come closer. "Everybody, this is Kouji. He's Amano and Yukari's son." She wasn't quite sure she should introduce him as her boyfriend, especially with Riley there. She didn't know what he might do. 

Hitomi came forward from the group, her eyes wide. "You are Yukari and Amano's son?" 

"Yes ma'am." 

Hitomi smiled. "You look just like your father." 

"Thank you ma'am." 

"As you've probably already guessed, that's my Aunt Hitomi," Mecale introduced, "that's my Uncle Van, Aunt Merle, Uncle Zane, cousins Golan, Siri, Dolyn and Zara. And these are my parents." 

Kouji noticed that Mecale neglected to introduce the blonde man standing at the back of the group. He didn't have time to ponder the reason why because a second later he found himself staring up into the mahogany eyes of Folken Fanel. 

"Kouji," Folken said. 

"Y…yes sir?" Kouji stammered. The man was at least four inches taller than Kouji and looked like he could rip his head off if he wanted. 

A smile broke out on Folken's face. "Welcome to Fanelia." 

Kouji let out the breath he had been holding. "Thank you sir." 

"Let's go back to the palace," Adrina suggested, "we can finish our lunches and talk. Are you two hungry?" 

"Yes mother," Mecale answered, "I'm starved. What about you Kouji?" 

"Yeah, I'm pretty hungry." 

Everyone chatted happily on the way back to the palace. They all spoke English so Kouji could understand and wouldn't feel left out. When they reached the huge palace (or at least huge compared to what Kouji was used to) they all went to the dining room where their lunch was still set out but had been covered. As they sat down, servants hurried in to uncover their food and bring plates for the two newcomers. They all ate their lunch and chatted happily. 

After lunch, everyone went to the parlor to talk more. Kouji noticed that Mecale completely ignored the blonde man and went out of her way to sit as far from him as possible in the parlor. Once they had all been seated, Adrina smiled and spoke. 

"All right Mecale. We're dying to hear about your adventures on the Mystic Moon." 

"With all due respect mother, I'd rather talk about the nightmares I've been having," Mecale said. 

The smile faded form Adrina's face. "You mean about the shadow." 

"How did you know?" Mecale questioned. 

"Because of the prophecy," Folken answered. 

"What prophecy?" Mecale looked around the room and saw that she and Kouji were the only ones who looked confused. 

"An ancient Draconian prophecy," Folken told her, "that we found in the Draconian book." 

"Found? When?" Mecale asked. 

"Right after you were born," Adrina replied. 

"What does this prophecy have to do with my nightmares about the shadow?" 

Adrina took a deep breath. "The prophecy tells of a daughter born to two Draconians, one from each side of the family tree. The girl will have wings of gold and will represent the good of the Draconians. Alternately, when the girl is born, a shadow will appear that represents the evil of the Draconians. When the time is right, the girl will battle the shadow in the ultimate battle of good and evil. If the girl wins, the shadow will disappear forever. If not…" 

"What?" 

"The world will be destroyed." 

Mecale stared at her mother in surprise. "Let me get this straight. That shadow in Zaibach is there because of me and I'm the only one who can destroy it. If I don't, the world is going to be destroyed?" Her parents nodded. "Why didn't you tell me before?" 

"We wanted to wait until you were ready," Adrina answered. 

"What makes you think I'm ready now?" Mecale questioned. 

"The prophecy states that the shadow will remain dormant until the girl is ready to fight it," Folken stated. 

"And?" 

"And the shadow is moving closer as we speak," Folken informed. 

"What?!" Mecale exclaimed, "It's moving? What will happen if it reaches Fanelia?" 

"It will destroy every living thing it touches," Adrina spoke, "plant and animal alike." 

Mecale nodded slightly. "How much time?" 

"About a week," Folken answered. 

"All right," Mecale agreed, "I have a week to defeat this thing. I can do it." She glanced up and saw a worried look on Kouji's face. She offered him a slight smile but he didn't return it. She looked back at her parents. "Mother, father, I'm exhausted from my journey. Would it be okay if I went to rest for a while?" 

"Of course," Adrina told her. 

Mecale got up and left the room. She hurried down the corridors to her room and collapsed on the huge bed. _How am I supposed to do this?_ she thought to herself, _I'm only a seventeen year old girl._ She had acted brave in front of her parents but in reality, she was scared to death. 

Earlier, she had had a servant bring the bag containing her bear to her room. Now she found it sitting at the foot of her bed. She pulled the bear out and hugged it to her. 

A moment later, someone knocked on the door. She assumed that it was Siri and called "Come in!" When the door opened, she was surprised to see her mother enter. 

"Is it okay if I talk to you for a minute?" Adrina inquired. 

"Of course." Mecale sat up on the edge of her bed. Her mother crossed the room and sat down next to her. 

"There was a part of the prophecy that we didn't tell you," Adrina began. Mecale said nothing so Adrina continued. "When the girl-child…you, when you go to fight the evil, someone will accompany you." 

"Who?" 

"Your samurai." Adrina told her, "He will accompany you to Zaibach and help you in your battle." 

"Who is he?" Mecale asked. 

"Whoever you choose," her mother replied, "although, I think you made your decision before you ever heard about the prophecy." 

"Kouji," Mecale whispered before she could stop herself. She looked up at her mother, wide eyed. 

"Don't worry," her mother chuckled, "I already know." 

"How?" 

"A mother just knows," Adrina smiled. 

"What about father?" Mecale asked. 

"He knows too," Adrina assured. 

"He's not going to try to do anything to Kouji, is he?" Mecale inquired. 

"No," Adrina laughed, "as long as it's not Riley, he's happy." 

"Speaking of Mr. Pretty Boy, what's he doing here?" 

"He wanted to stay," Adrina informed, "He refused to leave with his family. He wants your answer to his proposal." 

"Didn't he get the hint when I ran out on him?" Mecale scoffed. 

"Apparently not." 

"Figures," Mecale stated, "arrogant pig." 

Adrina laughed again and stood up. "I'll let you rest now but you might want to think about telling Kouji about what I've told you so he knows what's going on." 

"I will," Mecale assured. 

Adrina bent down and hugged her daughter. "I'm glad you're back sweetheart." 

"I'm glad to be back." 

Adrina smiled and left Mecale's room. Mecale crawled into the middle of her bed and laid down, clutching the bear. She had a lot to think about but right now she was just too tired. She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. 

Mecale was awakened later by Siri. She smiled when she saw her younger cousin leaning over her. 

"Rise and shine sleepyhead," Siri chirped, "it's almost time for dinner." 

"Already?" Mecale sat up and stretched. 

"Yes," Siri confirmed, "we have about ten or fifteen minutes so get ready." 

Mecale looked down at her jeans and T-shirt. "What? You don't like my new look?" 

"I do but I don't' think your parents would be pleased if you showed up to dinner dressed like that," Siri said. 

"I guess you're right." Mecale picked out a dress and changed behind her changing screen. She emerged to find Siri sitting on her bed. 

"So," Siri began, "there's something between you and Kouji?" 

Mecale smiled. "What makes you think that?" 

"Oh, I don't know," Siri scoffed, "perhaps the fact that you told me to 'back off' because he's 'already yours'." 

"I was just warning you," Mecale told her. 

"So you are an item," Siri deducted. 

"Yes." 

"You have to tell me everything," Siri insisted. 

"Later," Mecale told her, "We'd better get to dinner. By the way, where is Kouji?" 

"Your parents gave him a room in the guest wing," Siri informed, "A servant was just sent to get him for dinner." 

"Riley hasn't talked to him, has he?" Mecale questioned. 

"Not to my knowledge," Siri replied. 

"Good," Mecale breathed, "It could be disastrous if the two of them got to talking." 

Mecale and Siri left the room and headed towards the dining room. 

---------------------------------------- 

"Excuse me sir." 

Kouji looked towards the door when he heard the woman's voice come from the hallway. "Yes?" 

"Dinner will be server shortly sir," the woman called through the door, "I've been sent to take you to the dining hall." 

Kouji jumped off the bed and hurried to the door. He opened it to reveal an older woman with graying hair and a warm smile. 

"Please follow me sir." 

The woman led him down a long corridor and then turned down a more lavishly decorated hall. Up ahead, Kouji saw the blonde man who Mecale failed to introduce. He came out of a side hallway and stopped when he saw Kouji. He smiled and waited for them to catch up. 

"I don't think we've been introduced," the blonde said to Kouji, "my name is Prince Riley." 

"Kouji," Kouji stated by way of introduction. 

"How are you enjoying Fanelia so far?" Riley asked. 

"It's definitely different than Earth," Kouji commented. 

"I'm sure it is," Riley agreed. He turned to the woman who was standing nearby. "You're dismissed." 

"I'm sorry Prince," the woman apologized, "but Queen Adrina asked me to bring the guest to the dining hall." 

"I can take him," Riley told her, "I'm going there anyway. You're dismissed." 

The woman hesitated, then bowed. "Yes highness." The woman turned and disappeared down another corridor. 

"Come," Riley urged, "dinner is almost served." 

The two men started down the hallway in the direction that the servant had been leading Kouji in the first place. 

"I wanted to thank you for returning Mecale safely," Riley spoke as they approached a huge set of double doors. "I was beginning to think she'd never return." 

"Uh, you're welcome," Kouji offered. He didn't like the way the man spoke about Mecale like she was something that had gotten out and ran away, like a dog or cat. He wondered if the man was related to Mecale. She hadn't mentioned him and didn't even bother to introduce him, but he was a prince. On the other hand, he was blonde. The rest of Mecale's family had darker hair. Kouji began to have a sinking feeling in his stomach about who the blonde man really was and decided to find out. 

"So," Kouji began as they approached the double doors of the dining hall, "Are you another cousin of Mecale's?" 

Riley chuckled. "Of course not. I'm her fiancé." 

Kouji looked at the blonde man in shock. "Her…fiancé?" 

"Yes," Riley nodded, "Didn't she tell you?" 

"No," Kouji said, his mind reeling. "She never told me." 

"Oh, well anyway, through those doors is the dining hall," Riley pointed, "I just remembered that I have something to attend to quickly. You go in without me." 

Before Kouji could speak, Riley turned and hurried down the hallway they had just come down. He didn't want to enter with Kouji. He knew Mecale would suspect something. 

Kouji stood in front of the dining hall, staring at the doors in shock. She had a fiancé? Why hadn't she told him? Suddenly a red cloud of anger broke through his shock. She had played him. Just a little fling on Earth before returning home to her fiancé. He had been a fool to believe she would care about him. His mother had warned him when he had first told her he was moving to California. "Watch out for those girls, they'll take everything you have and leave you out in the cold." Why hadn't he listened? Now he was stuck on some far away planet with no way to get home. 

Furious beyond belief, Kouji stormed into the dining hall and took his seat across from Mecale. When he sat down, she smiled at him but he turned away without returning it. Throughout the rest of the meal, he kept his eyes on his plate and only spoke when someone addressed him. After dinner, Kouji claimed he was still tired and went to his room for the night. 

Everyone else made their way to the parlor to chat before bed. Mecale knew that something was wrong with Kouji and was beginning to think that Riley had spoken with him after all. When they got to the parlor, Mecale sat next to Siri. 

"Are you sure Riley didn't talk to Kouji?" Mecale asked her. 

"As far as I know, yes," Siri answered, "Why?" 

"I think he did," Mecale stated, "Look at Riley. He's all smiles. He should be pouting." 

"You're right," Siri agreed, "What are you going to do?" 

"I've got to talk to Kouji to find out what…" 

Mecale was interrupted by her mother. "Mecale, why don't you tell us about your trip to the Mystic Moon?" 

Mecale forced a smile. "Of course mother." She shot a death glare at Riley and then began to recount her adventures to the group. 

It was late when everyone decided to retire for the night. Mecale went to her room like everyone else but she planned on going to talk to Kouji as soon as everyone was in their rooms. She didn't want her father or one of her uncles to see her sneaking off to Kouji's room. 

Mecale waited for twenty minutes before opening her door and creeping into the hallway. She made sure no one was around and then started down the main hallway towards the guest wing. She had only taken a few steps when she heard someone behind her. 

"Mecale?" 

Mecale turned around and saw Siri standing near where the hallway branched off to the separate wings. 

"What are you doing?" Siri called down the hallway. 

"Sssh!" Mecale hushed and waved for her cousin to join her. "I'm going to see Kouji." 

"Why are we whispering?" Siri questioned, also in a whisper. 

"So my father, your father or Uncle Zane doesn't catch me," Mecale replied, "They'd kill me if they knew I was sneaking off to Kouji's room." 

"You're right," Siri agreed, "Let me come with you. That way no one will be suspicious if they see us walking around." 

"Okay." 

Mecale and Siri went down the main hall and turned down the corridor that led to the guest wing. 

"Which room?" Mecale asked. 

"This one," Siri pointed to the second door on the right side of the hallway. 

"Whose idea was it to put him next door to Riley?" Mecale inquired, sending a poisonous glare to the first door on the right. 

"This was just the room the servants got ready," Siri shrugged. 

"All right, you wait out here," Mecale instructed, "I'll be out in a few minutes." Siri nodded and Mecale walked over to Kouji's door and knocked. 

"Come in!" he called through the door. 

Mecale turned the knob and entered the bedroom, then closed the door behind her. Kouji was lying on the bed with his head propped up on the pillows. He looked up to see who had entered, then sank back down. 

"Oh, it's you." 

"What's your problem?" Mecale asked. 

"Nothing," Kouji answered without looking at her. 

"Don't lie to me." Mecale stomped over to the bed. "You've been acting weird since dinner. What's going on?" 

"Nothing," Kouji repeated and still refused to look at her. 

"Then why are you acting like a jerk?" Mecale demanded. 

"Why don't you ask your fiancé?" 

Mecale looked at him in confusion. "What?" 

"You heard me," Kouji said, "Why don't you go ask your fiancé what's wrong with me?" 

Suddenly it dawned on Mecale what was going on. "RILEY!" Mecale turned from the bed and ran back to the door, finally getting Kouji's attention. She tore the door open and exploded into the hallway, catching Siri off guard and causing her to stumble back a few steps. Mecale went to the first door in the hallway and pulled it open. 

Riley was laying on his bed, much like Kouji had been doing. He smiled when he saw her. "Mecale. I knew it was just a matter of time. I have dreamt of the night when you will finally share my be…" 

The last word was cut off as her slender hands wrapped around his neck. "You bastard! What did you tell Kouji?!" She began to squeeze his neck viciously. 

"M…Me…cale…" Riley chocked out. 

"Tell me!" Mecale screamed, "What did you tell him?!" 

Riley brought his hands up to hers and tried to pry them off but rage had given her strength. 

"Mecale stop!" 

Mecale didn't turn around but a second later, Siri was next to her, pulling at her arm. 

"Mecale, let go!" Siri shouted, "You're going to kill him!" 

"Good!" Mecale called and squeezed tighter. "Tell me what you told Kouji!" 

Riley's face began to turn red and his grip on her hands lessened. Siri was still yanking on Mecale's arms but it was useless. Suddenly, Mecale felt two arms go around her waist and she was hauled off of Riley. The second her feet touched the ground, she spun around, ready to tear into whoever had stopped her. Her intentions changed when she came face to face with Kouji. 

"Mecale, what the Hell is going on?" he demanded. 

Mecale turned back to the bed, where Riley was now lying on his side, gasping for breath and holding his throat. 

"My God Mecale," the blonde prince croaked, "Have you gone completely insane? You nearly killed me!" 

"Don't relax yet!" Mecale warned and lunged for Riley again. Kouji grabbed her and pulled her back before she could get a hold of him. Siri stood near the bed, watching the exchange with wide eyes. 

"Mecale, what is wrong with you?" Kouji inquired. 

"He lied to you!" Mecale announced, "He's not my fiancé! I'd rather die than marry him!" 

Kouji's eyes narrowed and he glared at the man on the bed. "You lied to me?" 

"Technically, it wasn't a lie," Riley defended, "I proposed to her and she hasn't answered me yet." 

"You want an answer?!" Mecale shouted, "I'll give you an answer!" She tried to get to Riley but once again, Kouji intervened. 

"Calm down Mecale," Kouji soothed, "Killing him won't solve anything." 

"Yes it will!" Mecale countered. 

Suddenly, a servant appeared at the door. "Is everything all right? I heard shouting." 

"Out!" Mecale ordered. The servant looked shocked, then bowed and quickly left. Mecale turned her attention back to Riley. "Why? Why did you lie to him? Are you jealous?" 

"Ha! I would never be jealous of scum like him," Riley scoffed in Gaean, "the reason I lied to him is because you deserve better. What can he give you? Nothing! I can give you riches beyond your wildest dreams. You and I will be the rulers of the richest, most powerful country in Gaea!" 

"I'd rather die than rule by your side!" Mecale spat, also in Gaean. 

"He is nothing!" Riley shouted in Gaean, "I am a prince! He is nothing but a lowlife from the Mystic Moon! He's not even good enough to shine my boots!" 

"What are they saying?" Kouji asked Siri but before she could answer, Mecale dashed towards Riley again. This time Kouji wasn't quick enough to stop her and she pounced on the blonde once again, shouting choice phrases in Gaean. Luckily for him, she had barely got her hands around his already bruised throat when Kouji pulled her off again. 

"Okay," Kouji said and threw a still raging Mecale over his shoulder. "I think that's enough for tonight. Time to go." Kouji turned and exited the room, followed closely by Siri. Once in the hallway, Kouji stopped and turned to the dark haired woman. "Me and Mecale need to talk. You don't mind do you?" 

"Of course not," Siri smiled, "I'll see you two in the morning. Good night Kouji. Good night Mecale." 

"Good night," Kouji called and entered his room. He walked over to the bed and unceremoniously threw Mecale onto it, cutting off her incessant ranting. 

"What was that for?" Mecale demanded. 

"To shut you up," Kouji told her, "thank God it worked." 

"Well excuse me if I'm a little bit upset," Mecale said. 

"A little bit?" Kouji chuckled, "I thought you were going to kill him." 

"I was," Mecale sulked, "until you stopped me." 

"It's over now," Kouji told her, "I know the truth, everything's okay." 

"Is it?" 

"As far as I know, yeah," Kouji replied. 

"So you're not mad at me any more?" Mecale prodded. 

"No," Kouji answered, "I shouldn't have been mad at you in the first place. I should have known that you wouldn't have led me on if you were really engaged. I'm sorry." 

"You are forgiven," Mecale smiled. Suddenly, the smile faded from her face. Kouji noticed the change in her attitude and frowned. 

"What's wrong?" 

"I need to talk to you about something." 

"Oh no," Kouji groaned, "Let me guess, you're married?" 

"What? No." 

"Have a kid somewhere?" 

"No." 

"Then what do you want to talk to me about?" 

"Did you listen to the prophecy my mother told me about earlier?" Mecale questioned. 

All traces of joking were gone from Kouji's face and he sat down next to her on the bed. "Yeah." 

"Well, after I went to my room, my mother came to talk to me," Mecale explained, "She told me about another part of the prophecy that states I must pick a samurai to aide me in defeating the shadow." 

"I'm coming with you," Kouji stated matter-of-factly. "Even if you don't want me to be your samurai. I've already made up my mind." 

Mecale smiled again. "Who else would I want by my side when I go?" The smile faded. "I probably won't live through it." 

"The Hell you won't," Kouji exclaimed, "I'm not gonna let you die Mecale. No matter what." 

"Thank you Kouji." Mecale hugged him tightly. 

"No problem," Kouji told her, "You'd better get to bed. It's late." 

"All right." 

Mecale kissed Kouji quickly and then left his room, heading for her own. 

******************************************* 

One more chapter down, four or five more to go. That counts the epilogue though so probably only three or four more actual chapters. Yeah! It's almost done! 


	12. Samurai

**Chapter 11: Samurai**

The next morning, Mecale was awakened by Siri. 

"So, how did your late night talk with Kouji go?" Siri questioned. 

Mecale yawned and stretched. "Fine, why?" 

"Just wondering." 

"Nothing happened if that's what you're asking," Mecale stated as she climbed out of bed and opened her wardrobe. 

"Oh." Siri sounded disappointed. "What did you talk about?" 

Mecale pulled a dark green out of the wardrobe and went behind her changing screen. "Did my parents tell you the part of the prophecy about the samurai? 

"No." 

"Well, before I go to fight the shadow, I must pick a samurai to go with me." Mecale emerged from behind the changing screen, fully dressed. 

"And you picked Kouji," Siri concluded. 

"Yes." 

"Does everybody else know?" Siri inquired. 

Mecale sat down at her vanity and began brushing her hair. "No. I'm going to tell everyone at breakfast." She paused. "I have the feeling there isn't much time left." 

Siri frowned at Mecale's words. "What do you mean?" 

"It's growing closer," Mecale told her in a low voice, "I can feel it. It's coming for me." 

"Do you think you can stop it?" Siri asked. 

"I have to," Mecale said, "or else…" 

Siri nodded. "I'm scared Mecale." 

"Me too," Mecale admitted and walked over to her cousin, "but I know I can win." 

"I…I don't want to talk about it anymore," Siri sniffled, "Come on, let's go to breakfast." 

"Okay." 

The two girls left Mecale's room and headed towards the dining hall. They met Kouji half way and the three of them entered the room together. They all took their seats and waited for everyone else. Riley was the last to enter. He was wearing a high collared shirt that covered his neck but when he moved a certain way, the tops of dark purple bruises could be seen. Mecale smiled at her handy work and then turned to her breakfast. 

Almost as the meal was finished, the dining hall doors opened and Lucian McBane, commander of the Fanelian army, entered. He strode over to Folken and bowed quickly then whispered something. Folken whispered back and then Lucian spoke again. Folken nodded and the wolfman left as quickly as he had come. 

Everyone's attention was on Folken as he began to speak. "Lucian has just informed me that the shadow is growing much faster than before." Gasps were heard around the table before Folken continued. "He estimates that at it's current rate of growth, she shadow will reach Fanelia three days from now." 

Everyone stared in shocked silence. Suddenly, the table erupted into gasps and despaired conversation. Adrina leaned over and spoke to her daughter. 

"Have you talked to Kouji?" 

Mecale nodded. "Yes." 

"Good," Adrina praised, "I think now is the time to tell everyone." 

Mecale nodded again and stood up. "Excuse me everyone! Can I have your attention?" The group gradually quieted down and turned their attention to the princess. "Yesterday, after I went to my room to rest, my mother came to me and told me about another part of the prophecy that says I must choose a samurai to accompany me in my quest. I have made my decision, although I think that fate made it for me." Mecale smiled at the raven-haired man sitting across from her. "Kouji will be my samurai and will accompany me to Zaibach." 

"This is ridiculous!" Riley shouted as he jumped from his chair. "How is he going to be of any use to you? He's from the Mystic Moon! He couldn't possibly have the skills that I possess!" 

"It doesn't matter what skills he has!" Mecale shot back, "He wants to protect me and that's all that matters." 

"He can't protect you!" Riley insisted, "He doesn't have the proper training! Has he even touched a sword? I won't allow it! I won't allow you to run off to Zaibach with this useless man." 

"Enough!" Folken boomed, "Both of you, sit down!" Both teens did what they were told. Folken turned his mahogany gaze on Riley. "You listen to me and you listen good, you do not tell my daughter what she can and can not do. You do not own her." 

"But your majesty," Riley began, "I am only concerned for Mecale's safety." 

"He has a valid point," Van stated, "Riley is a great swordsman." He turned to Kouji. "Do you have any training with a sword?" 

"No." 

"What about your kendo?" Mecale offered, "That's kind of like sword fighting and you're really good at that." 

"That's not the same thing," Kouji told her, "Maybe he's right. Maybe someone else should be your samurai." 

"Being her samurai is about more than being a good swordsman," Adrina informed, "You have to be willing to protect Mecale, by any means necessary." 

"I will protect her," Riley insisted. 

"Since the two of you can not decide, this is what will happen," Folken announced, "Kouji and Riley will battle each other. The winner will earn the right to be Mecale's samurai." 

"Folken!" Adrina hissed, "What are you…" 

"Trust me," he whispered to his wife, then to the gathered people he said, "Van, you and Golan will help Kouji prepare and perhaps train him a bit. The contest will be held two hours form now." 

"Father," Mecale started, "Don't you think we should be worrying about more important things? I'm sure Riley, Kouji and I can work this out amongst ourselves." 

"I've already made my decision," Folken stated, "They will battle in two hours." 

Mecale started to protest but Adrina's hand closed over hers. 

"Have faith," her mother whispered. Mecale nodded. 

"One other thing," Folken said, "I want everyone packed and ready to go to Asturia. IF you want, you may leave now." 

"It's been almost twenty years since the last world endangering event," Merle commented, "I miss the excitement." 

Everyone smiled wryly at the cat woman's sense of humor. Since no on really felt like eating anymore, everyone vacated the breakfast table. Van and Golan took Kouji to the training room to get him ready and everyone else besides Mecale went to pack. 

Mecale went to her room and sat still for about three minutes before she decided she wanted to read the prophecy in hopes of finding something that might give her a hint as to how she was supposed to defeat the shadow. Mecale left her room and went to her parent's room, where she found her mother picking out clothes of a servant to pack. 

"Mother?" 

Adrina looked up from her task. "Yes Mecale?" 

"I want to read the prophecy for myself," Mecale told her, "you know, to see if it will help me figure out a way to defeat the shadow. Do you have the book?" 

"Oh I'm sorry sweetheart," Adrina answered quickly, "We sent it with the Schezars to Asturia. They wanted to go over it to see if they could find anything that we might have missed." 

"Oh. Okay. Thank you." Mecale left her parent's room and went to see Siri. She too was packing. 

"Hi," Mecale greeted. 

"Hi," Siri repeated while trying to stuff three dresses into a suitcase at the same time. 

"Do you want some help?" Mecale questioned. 

Siri smiled and looked up. Tears were running down her face. "Yes." 

Mecale hurried to her cousin's side and hugged her. "It's going to be okay." 

"I don't want to leave," Siri sobbed, "but I'm so afraid to stay." 

"It's all right," Mecale comforted, "You should go. There's no reason to stay here." 

"Are you sure?" Siri questioned through her tears. 

"Yes," Mecale assured, "Just pretend like you're taking a vacation to go see Kolena and Erika." 

"But I feel like I'm abandoning my family," Siri said. 

"You're not abandoning anyone," Mecale told her, "Now finish packing. I'm going to go talk to my father about the departure arrangements." 

"Okay," Siri agreed. 

Mecale hugged her again and then left the room in search of her father. She found him in the main parlor, discussing matters with Lucian. 

"Hello Mecale," Folken greeted, "to what do I owe this visit?" 

"I wanted to ask you about the departure arrangements," Mecale told him. 

"I sent my quickest messenger to Asturia," Folken told her, "A fleet of airships should be here some time after dark." 

"Thank you." Mecale left and went back to Siri's room to relay the information. 

"Did he say who is going?" Siri asked. 

"No," Mecale replied, "but I assume quite a few. He said more than one airship was coming." 

"The town must be evacuating too," Siri deducted. 

"That's what I thought," Mecale agreed. 

Siri's face suddenly turned sad again. "My mother's not going." 

"What?" 

"She's staying here," Siri informed, "With my father and Golan." 

"I don't think my mother is going either," Mecale admitted, "She was packing but I know she won't leave my father and I know my father won't go." 

"Do you think Aunt Merle and Uncle Zane will go?" Siri questioned. 

"No," Mecale replied, "Aunt Merle won't go without your father and Uncle Zane won't go without Aunt Merle. They'll send Dolyn and Zara though. You'll have to look after them." 

Siri nodded. "This is so unreal." 

"I know," Mecale chuckled, "I have to save Gaea from an evil shadow." 

Siri giggled. "It sounds so ridiculous when you put it that way." 

"It does, doesn't it?" Mecale smiled, "Are you finished packing?" 

"Yes." 

"The let's go see how your father and brother are doing with my samurai," Mecale suggested. 

The two girls left Siri's room and headed to the training room. Inside, they found Golan and Kouji sparring while Van shouted instructions. 

"Block!" the former king instructed, "Good! Now strike! Very good!" He turned when he noticed the girls. "Hello girls. What brings you here?" 

"We wanted to see how Kouji is doing," Mecale told him. 

"He's not bad," Van informed, "Much better than I thought he would be but he's not up to Riley's level of swordplay." 

"Do you think he can win?" Siri asked. 

"I don't know," Van admitted, "I've seen stranger things happen." 

Mecale nodded and walked over to where Kouji and Golan were taking a break. 

"Hey Mecale," Kouji greeted. 

"Hi," Mecale replied, "Can I talk to you for a second?" 

"Sure." 

Mecale led Kouji to the other side of the training room where they could talk privately. 

"You have to be careful," Mecale started. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Riley is an excellent swordsman," Mecale explained, "His father is one of the best swordsmen in Gaea and Riley inherited the skill. He hasn't practiced like he should have, which is the only factor that is going to help you. If he were as good as his father, you wouldn't stand a chance. What I'm saying is, you have to watch out for him. He hates you and will probably kill you if he gets the chance." 

"Then I'll make sure he doesn't get the chance," Kouji said. 

"Are you sure you want to do this?" 

"I have to prove that I'm worthy to be your samurai," Kouji told her, "I don't want anyone to doubt that you made the right choice." 

Mecale smiled. "Me either." 

"Break is over Kouji!" Van called from the other side of the room, "Time to get back to work!" 

"I won't let you down," Kouji promised and hurried back over to the other side of the room. They began training again and the girls left so they wouldn't be a distraction. 

An hour and a half later, Folken came in and told them that it was time for the contest. Kouji sheathed the sword Van had given him and the four of them made their way towards the front of the castle. Just before they stepped into the courtyard, Folken stopped Kouji. 

"I'm not going to lie to you," Folken began, "Riley is very good with a sword but he has one weakness. He has no motivation. I want you to go out there and fight like my daughter's life depended on you winning. Do you understand?" 

"Yes sir." 

"Good, now go out there and win." 

Kouji walked out into the courtyard, followed by Folken. Riley was already there, waiting for his opponent. Spectators had gathered as well, including Mecale, Adrina, Hitomi, Van, Golan Siri, Merle, Zane and the twins, along with many other people from the village who had come to wait for the airships. The courtyard was crowded with people, eager to see the show. 

Kouji walked over to where Riley was standing. The young prince had a superior smirk on his face as if he believed that Kouji was no competition whatsoever. Kouji swallowed and pulled his lucky hat out of his back pocket where it had been sine he came to Fanelia. He placed it backwards on his head. _No frickin' way am I fighting this guy without my luck hat,_ he thought to himself. 

Folken made his way through the crowd and stepped in between the two duelers. 

"Combatants, are you ready?" Folken questioned. 

Both men nodded. 

"Draw you swords." 

Both men drew their swords and held them in an attack stance. Kouji narrowed his eyes at Riley. _You're going down._

Folken took a few steps back so he wasn't between them anymore. He looked from one to the other, then shouted, "Begin!" 

Without hesitation, Riley sprinted across the short distance between them, hoping to end the contest quickly. Kouji stepped aside and spun around behind Riley. The blonde hadn't expected Kouji to dodge and his momentary surprise left him wide open to Kouji's attack. Kouji hesitated, however, giving Riley the time to gain his composure and spin around to face Kouji. Riley swung his sword at Kouji but he blocked it at the last second. Riley was once again surprised and Kouji took advantage by swinging his sword at the prince. Riley recovered quickly and blocked. Their swords were crossed between them and both struggled to gain the upper hand. Inch by inch, Riley was prevailing. 

_He really is good,_ Kouji thought, _He'll wear me down and then finish me. If I'm going to have a chance, I've got to end this quickly._ Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mecale watching him intently. Suddenly, Folken's words resurfaced in his mind. 

"I want you to go out there and fight like my daughter's life depended on you winning." 

_Okay_, Kouji thought. He jumped back from Riley unexpectedly, sending the younger man stumbling forward. Before he could regain his balance, Kouji kicked the sword out of Riley's hand and then dropped down and kicked his legs out from under him. 

The crowd, who up until now had been cheering, fell completely silent as Kouji pounced on Riley's chest and put his sword against the prince's throat. Mecale was the one who finally broke the silence. 

"He did it!" she shouted happily. The crowd broke out of it's trance and began cheering for the unlikely winner. Folken walked over to where Kouji had stood up and sheathed his sword. 

"Well done Kouji," Folken praised, "You will be Mecale's samurai." 

"But that's not fair!" Riley insisted, still on the ground, "He cheated!" 

"He did what was necessary to win," Folken stated. 

"Get over it!" Mecale shouted at the blonde and ran to Kouji. She hugged him tightly. "I knew you could do it!" 

"Your father helped." 

"Really?" 

"Yeah," Kouji nodded, "He told me to fight like your life depended on me winning." 

Mecale's smile widened and she hugged him again. Suddenly, someone shouted, "Look out!" Mecale looked behind Kouji and saw Riley running at them, sword in hand. Acting on pure instinct, Mecale grabbed Kouji's sword and spun around behind him. She used the sword to deflect what almost certainly would have been a deathblow from Riley. He quickly backed off when he saw who had the sword. Not wanting to take any chances, Mecale smacked Riley's knuckles with the flat part of the blade, causing Riley to yelp in pain and drop his sword. She then shoved the point of Kouji's sword against his throat. 

"What do you think you are doing?!" Mecale demanded. Riley said nothing so she pushed the blade closer, piercing the high collar of his shirt. "I asked you a question!" 

"Mecale." 

Folken and Kouji were now standing on either side of her. She lowered the sword and looked at Kouji. He was surprised to see that her eyes were several shades darker than they had been before. She handed the sword back to him and then second her hands left it, her eyes returned to normal. 

Folken turned to a few Fanelian soldiers who had gathered to watch the fight and motioned them forward. "Take him back to his room and make sure he doesn't leave until the airships arrive." 

"Yes my Lord." The soldiers took Riley, one on each arm and one walking behind, and led him back into the palace. 

"Let's get back inside," Folken suggested, "Kouji, you'd probably like to rest before lunch." 

"Actually sir," Kouji began, "if it's all right with everyone, I'd like to continue training." 

Folken looked at Van and Golan. "Is that all right?" They both nodded. "Then go ahead." 

"Thank you," Kouji said, then turned to Mecale. "I'll see you at lunch." 

"Okay." 

Kouji, Van, and Golan went to the training room while the others drifted away to attend to their own affairs. Before Mecale could slip away, her parents called to her. 

"Mecale!" Adrina called, "May we speak with you for a moment?" 

Mecale followed her parents to their parlor and sat down on a chair. Her parents chose to sit side by side on the couch. 

"As you know, the shadow is growing much quicker," Folken began. 

"Yes." 

"It will be here in three days," he continued. 

"Yes…" 

Adrina put a hand on her husband's arm, stopping his monologue. "We think you should leave tomorrow morning in order to intercept it before it reaches Fanelia." 

Mecale nodded. "I know." 

Adrina stood and walked over to her wardrobe. She pulled out a white dress and presented it to Mecale. "This is the closest we could come to a Draconian ceremonial garment." 

Mecale took the dress from her mother and held it up. It was a flowing dress with a tight bodice and no sleeves. The dress tied around the neck, then had one strip of white cloth going down the middle of the back. On both sides of the strip, the dress was open, presumably to allow her wings to be used. The dress was topped off with a gold, braided belt around the waist. 

"Thank you," Mecale whispered. 

"I also want you to take this." Adrina disappeared back into the bedroom and Mecale could see her rummaging around in the trunk at the foot of the bed. She came back a second later carrying a sword in a purple scabbard. 

Mecale's mouth dropped open. "M…mother, that's your sword." 

"Yes it is," Adrina smiled proudly. She pulled the sword out a few inches, revealing the purple crest with the white feather. "It has served me well and now I hope it serves you as well." 

Adrina sheathed the sword and handed it to her daughter, who took it with trembling hands. 

"Mother, I don't know what to say." 

"You don't have to say anything," Adrina assured. 

"Thank you." 

Mother and daughter embraced, followed by father and daughter. 

"Thank you so much." 

"You're welcome darling," Adrina smiled, "Now go. I am sure there are things you would like to do before you leave." 

"Yes." Mecale left her parents room and went straight to hers. She carefully hung the dress on her changing screen and clutched the sword tightly. She didn't want to let it out of her sight for one second. She decided to strap it around her waist so she wouldn't lose it. Once that was done, she began to think of the things she wanted to do before she left. The first thing she thought of, of course, as say goodbye to everyone. She had plenty of time to do that. The second thing she thought of was read her mother's fairytale book. She decided to do that first. 

Mecale looked on her nightstand for the book and didn't find it. She knew she had brought it back to her room the last time she had it. She looked on her vanity, behind her changing screen and even under her bed. No book. She finally concluded that one of the servants must have taken it back to the library. They were always doing that, no matter how many times Mecale told them to leave it alone. She decided that she better go get it. 

Mecale left her room and walked down the corridors to the library. When she entered, she found no one inside. That was normal. Hardly anyone visited the library unless they were doing research on something and needed a book. Mecale entered the room and began scanning the lower shelves. None of the servant women who cleaned her room were as tall as she was, therefore the book would be on a lower shelf than what she could reach. 

"Ah ha!" Mecale announced, "There you are." Mecale pulled the worn book from the shelf and was about to leave when another book caught her eye. The spine of the book was much wider than the spines of the other books and she knew what it was before she read the words on the spine. 

Mecale sat the fairytale book down on a table and pulled the heavy book off the shelf. She brought the book to the table also and sat down in a chair in front of it. _Why did my mother tell me the Schezars took it?_ Mecale wondered. She opened the book to the table of contents and scanned the chapter titles until she found the one she was looking for. She opened the book up to about the middle and began flipping through the pages until she came to the one with the words "The Prophecy" at the top. She began to read out loud. 

"When Atlantis was built, an Oracle prophesized that one day a great evil would fall upon the Draconians…" 

Mecale read the parts about the shadow, the girl child and the samurai. After the paragraph about the samurai, there was another paragraph that her parents hadn't told her about. When she read it, she knew why. 

"Once the shadow becomes active, the girl child and the samurai must go to the shadow and try to stop it. The only way to do this is to have either the girl child or the samurai sacrifice themselves. The blood of the girl child or the samurai will destroy the shadow and banish it's evil forever." 

Mecale stared down at the words, trying to comprehend. _One of us has to die?_ The thought of losing Kouji made her stomach turn and for a moment, she thought she was going to be sick. The nausea passed and Mecale read over the words again. _One of us has to die._ She wouldn't let it be Kouji. 

"Mecale?" 

Mecale turned around and saw Siri standing near the doorway. 

"Here you are. I've been looking everywhere for you," Siri told her, "What are you doing in here?" 

"I was just getting my mother's fairytale book," Mecale informed and picked it up off of the table. She stood and walked past her cousin to the door. "I was just going to go read it. I'll see you later." 

Mecale disappeared down the hallway, leaving Siri standing in the library in confusion. _What's wrong with Mecale?_ she thought. _She's acting strange. And what was she reading when I walked in?_ Siri walked over to the chair Mecale had occupied a moment before and looked down at the book she had been reading. After a few lines, Siri realized it was the prophecy. _Was it something in here that made Mecale act strange?_ Siri began to read the prophecy, hoping to find the reason for her cousin's odd behavior. 

---------------------------------- 

"Kouji!" 

Kouji turned around and was surprised to see Siri running towards him with a suitcase in her hand. He stopped to wait for her. 

"Shouldn't you be boarding an airship?" Kouji asked. The ships had arrived ten minutes earlier and were boarding as they spoke. 

"Yes," Siri replied breathlessly, "but I need to talk to you before I go." 

"About what?" 

"The prophecy," Siri answered, "Mecale's parents didn't tell us everything about it. The prophecy says that either you or Mecale has to die to stop the shadow." 

"How do you know this?" 

"I read the prophecy," Siri explained, "I found Mecale in the library earlier reading something. When I talked to her, she acted strangely and then left. I sat down to read the book in hopes of finding what was wrong with Mecale and realized it was the prophecy." 

"So you're saying that Mecale knows one of us has to die and that's why she's been acting so weird?" Kouji asked. He'd noticed it too. She had barely said two words at lunch or dinner and had been avoiding eye contact with everyone. 

"Yes." 

Kouji nodded. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." 

Tears sprang into Siri's eyes. "Thank you." 

"You'd better go," Kouji suggested, "Don't want the airships to leave without you." 

Siri smiled and then disappeared down the hallway, leaving Kouji alone with his thoughts. If one of them had to die, he'd make damn sure it wasn't Mecale. 

"There she is," Hitomi announced as Siri exited the palace. "We thought you got lost." 

"I had some last minute things to pack," Siri lied. 

"It's about time," Golan teased, "We thought you'd miss the ship." 

Siri stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Which ship am I taking?" 

"That one," Van informed and pointed to a large airship anchored nearby. 

"You're taking Dolyn and Zara with you," Hitomi reminded, "So keep an eye on them." 

"I will." Siri looked around at the gathered airships. There were fifteen in all and one Siri recognized. "They brought the Crusade II?" 

"Yes," This time, Folken answered, "They're leaving it here in case we need to evacuate in a hurry." 

"You should get going," Hitomi told her daughter, "the ships are almost done loading." 

Siri looked around and saw that the courtyard was almost empty. "All right." Siri said goodbye to her parents, aunts, uncles, brother and cousin. When she hugged Mecale, she whispered, "Please don't do it Mecale. I would miss you too much." 

Mecale looked at her in surprise but before she could ask how Siri knew, she had taken Dolyn and Zara by the hand and was leading them towards the airship while a servant followed behind with their luggage. Mecale watched as three of her cousins disappeared into the airship. A few more people boarded the various ships and then one by one, they pulled up anchor and rose into the sky, flying in the direction of Asturia. 

After the ships had left, everyone, including the crew of the Crusade II and the servants who had volunteered to stay behind, went into the palace to retire for the night. Mecale knew she should get some rest but Siri's words kept running through her mind. Obviously she had read the prophecy. Had she told anyone? Did Kouji know? She hoped not. Finally, after almost an hour of confused thoughts, Mecale fell into a fitful sleep. 

_Mecale turned back to where Kouji lay, hoping he had gotten up. He was still motionless and Mecale suddenly realized that he was dead. _

"NO!" she wailed, "Kouji!" 

The man kept pulling her closer and closer to the shadow, until he had disappeared and all that was left was for her to follow. 

"No!" she screamed and continued to struggle but to no avail. She cast one quick glance back to where Kouji lay before the darkness swallowed her. "Kouji!" 

Suddenly, there was nothing to see but blackness. If was as if she was suddenly struck blind. She was alone now. The man had let go. Mecale knew that she had just stepped into the shadow, so she took a few running steps in the direction that she had come in. There was nothing but more blackness. She thought maybe she was disoriented and ran the other way. Only blackness. She ran in several different directions before she realized that she was trapped. Mecale sank to her knees and began to cry into her hands. 

"Let me out of here!" she sobbed. She hadn't expected an answer and was surprised when she got one. 

"Mecale…" 

It was him. She'd recognize that voice anywhere. Suddenly more furious than scared, Mecale jumped to her feet. "Let me out of here!" 

"Mecale…" 

"Let me out!" she screamed. 

"Come Mecale," he whispered, "Come and see the world we have created together." 

The blackness in front of her began to lighten until she was looking at a scene. Thinking he had showed her the way out, Mecale ran towards the barren landscape only to find that it stayed the same distance away no matter how fast she ran. 

"Look Mecale," he urged. His voice seemed to be coming from everywhere at once, "look at what we have done." 

Mecale watched as the scene showed a huge forest of dead trees. The image moved to show a large palace. Mecale recognized it immediately. 

"Fanelia," she whispered. 

"Yes," he confirmed, "Fanelia. Your homeland. Look at what we have done to it." 

The image swept down to the front of the palace where bodies were strewn about the courtyard, some heaped on top of the others. Mecale felt like she was going to be sick when she recognized most of the people as servants or members of the army. 

"No…" Mecale felt as if she would pass out. 

The scene changed again, this time showing the inside of the castle, her Aunt Hitomi and Uncle Van's room to be exact. There were four bodies here. Hitomi was clinging to Siri on the bed while Golan and Van lay nearby, swords still in their hands. They had obviously been trying to drive the shadow off. 

"Stop it!" Mecale cried as the scene shifted to Merle and Zane's room. Merle and Zane were on their bed, holding Dolyn and Zara. They were all dead. 

"Please…" Mecale begged but the scene changed yet again. This time, the image was of her parents room. "No…" They were both on their bed, holding each other. It looked as if they didn't even try to get away. They believed in her and she had failed them. 

"Stop it!" Mecale sobbed, "Please. STOP! NO!" 

**************************** 

In the next chapter, Mecale and Kouji go to do battle with the shadow. 


	13. The Battle for Gaea

**Chapter 12: The Battle for Gaea**

Mecale awoke to the sound of screaming. Thinking that the shadow had sped up and was already upon them, she sat up quickly, her heart racing. The screaming continued and it took her a few more seconds to realize that the awful sound was coming from her. Mecale stopped abruptly, surprised and somewhat frightened. It wasn't even a minute before the door opened and her parents burst in. 

"Mecale!" her mother called and ran to her side. "Are you all right?" 

"Y…yes," Mecale answered, unnerved to find her voice so shaky, "I…I'm fine. It w…was just a n…nightmare." 

Adrina hugged Mecale tightly. "Are you going to be okay?" 

Before Mecale could answer, the door opened again and the rest of her family entered. 

"What's going on?" Hitomi asked, "Is Mecale all right?" 

"She's fine," Folken assured, "She just had a nightmare." 

Once again, the door burst open and this time Kouji came into the room. He looked around wildly until he spotted Mecale on her bed and then pushed his way through the crowd to get to her. 

"Mecale." 

Adrina stepped aside as Kouji stopped next to the bed. Without hesitation, Mecale threw herself into his arms. 

"Kouji!" 

"It's okay," Kouji comforted and stroked her hair as she clung desperately to him. "It can't hurt you. It was just a dream." 

Adrina walked over to Folken and smiled. "I think he can take it from here." 

"But…" 

Adrina put her finger to Folken's lips, hushing him. "Come on. Let's leave them alone." Adrina turned to her daughter and Kouji. "The two of you should try to get some sleep." 

"Yes ma'am," Kouji acknowledged. 

Adrina turned back to the other adults and they left the room. It took Mecale a while to calm down, but eventually she did and sat back down on her bed. Kouji sat next to her. 

"You should try to get back to sleep," Kouji told her after a few minutes. "You need to rest." 

"I don't know if I can," Mecale said, "I'm afraid the dream will come back." She looked up at him. "Will you stay with me? At least until I fall asleep?" 

Kouji nodded. "Yeah." 

Mecale crawled back under the blankets and Kouji followed. The air in the castle was cool and Mecale didn't want him to freeze to death. She cuddled up to him and closed her eyes. She was asleep within minutes. 

-------------------------------------- 

Mecale awoke hours later to the sound of knocking on her door. She heard a servant calling to her and opened her eyes slowly. She was surprised to find Kouji asleep next to her. He must've dozed off not long after she did. She smiled and her attention was drawn back to the servant at the door. 

"Princess Mecale!" the servant called, "I'm coming in!" 

"No!" Mecale shouted as the door began to open. "I'm awake!" The door closed again and Mecale sighed with relief. Her father would kill her if he found out that Kouji had spent the night in her room. 

Mecale looked down at the man sleeping next to her and found that he wasn't sleeping anymore. His eyes were opened and he smiled up at her. 

"Good morning beautiful." 

Mecale grinned. "Good morning Kouji." 

"I guess I fell asleep last night," Kouji surmised, "Sorry." 

"It's okay," Mecale assured. 

"Well, I guess today is the big day huh?" Kouji commented. 

The smile left Mecale's face. "Yes." 

"Hey," Kouji said and touched her cheek gently. "Don't be sad. We'll get through this." 

Mecale forced a smile. "You're right." 

Kouji smiled back and sat up. "I'd better get out of here before someone finds out I slept here. I'll see you in a little while." He kissed her quickly and then left her room. 

After he was gone, Mecale went over to her changing screen and put on the white dress her mother had given her. She then hooked her mother's sword around her waist and went over to the vanity to brush her hair. Once that was done, she looked at herself in the mirror. She was appalled to see that she looked like a scared child. 

_I'm not a child,_ she thought to herself, _I am a woman and I am not afraid. I will save Gaea. I can do it, I know I can._

Somewhat inspired by her little self-pep talk, Mecale left her room in search of her parents. She found them in the main parlor with Hitomi, Merle and Zane. 

"Good morning Mecale," Adrina greeted. 

"Good morning," Mecale replied. She looked around the room. "Where are Uncle Van and Golan?" 

"They are picking out armor for Kouji," Folken answered, "As soon as they return, we will have breakfast." 

Mecale nodded and sat down on one of the many sofas in the room. About five minutes later, Van, Golan and Kouji came into the parlor. After they had entered, Folken stood. 

"Now that everyone's back, we should have breakfast." 

The rest of the Royal Family stood and followed their King out of the parlor and to the dining room. They sat down and a few minutes later their breakfast was served. As they ate, everyone was mostly silent. The air was full of tension and no one knew what to say to ease it. After they finished their breakfast, they all gathered in the courtyard outside the palace. 

Still, no one spoke and finally it was Mecale who broke the silence. 

"Well, I guess we should get going," she stated, "Time is running out." 

"You're right," Adrina agreed, "The longer we wait, the more danger we'll be in." 

Golan went to get two horses while Mecale and Adrina spoke. 

"Mama?" 

"Yes?" 

"Do you think I can do this?" 

Adrina smiled at her daughter. "Of course. I have faith in you. We all do." 

Mecale nodded. "I'm scared." 

"There's nothing wrong with that," Adrina assured. 

Golan returned, leading two horses by the reins. 

"I guess it's time to go," Mecale commented. She said goodbye and hugged all of her family, who in turn hugged her back and wished her good luck. After she had talked to everyone, Mecale and Kouji mounted their horses and started up the mountain trial that led to Zaibach. 

They rode for about twenty minutes in silence before Kouji spoke. 

"How are you feeling?" 

Mecale looked over at him. "What do you mean?" 

"What's going through your mind?" Kouji prodded, "What are you thinking about?" 

"Nothing really," Mecale lied, "Just trying to clear my mind and concentrate." In truth, she had been thinking about what she must do in order to win against the evil. 

"You're lying," Kouji stated. 

Mecale looked over at him in surprise. "What?" 

Kouji turned away from her and faced forward. He started to turn back to her, then faced forward again. With a sigh, he said, "I know." 

"Know what?" 

"About the prophecy," Kouji answered, "Siri told me." 

Mecale said nothing. Things had just gotten very complicated. 

"Mecale, you're crazy if you think I'm gonna let you sacrifice yourself to save everyone," Kouji told her. 

"I don't have a choice," Mecale whispered. 

"That's not true," Kouji insisted, "Siri told me that one of us has to die to win. That doesn't mean it has to be you." 

"Yes it does." 

"I'm not gonna let you kill yourself," Kouji informed. 

"And I'm not going to let you die for this," Mecale responded, "This isn't you fight. Why should you have to be the one who dies?" 

"The Hell it's not my fight!" Kouji snapped, "It's as much my fight as it is yours." 

"You wouldn't eve be in this situation if I hadn't brought you here in the first place," Mecale said. 

Suddenly, Kouji stopped his horse and dismounted. He walked over to Mecale's horse and grabbed the reins, bringing it to a stop. 

"What are you doing?" Mecale questioned. 

"Get off the horse," Kouji instructed. 

"What?" 

Kouji released the reins and walked around next to the horse. He reached up and to her surprise, lifted Mecale off of the animal and put her on the ground. 

"Kouji, what are you doing?" 

"Look at me," Kouji ordered. She did. "We are in this together Mecale, whether you like it or not. And whether you like it or not, I'm not gonna let you die." 

"What makes you think that I'll just let you die instead?" Mecale demanded. 

"I know the prophecy said that one of us has to die," Kouji started, "But maybe there's another way. We should see what we're up against before we start planning our goodbyes." 

Mecale smiled slightly. "Okay." 

"Okay," Kouji agreed and hugged her, "Let's get going." 

The two of them mounted their horses again and continued up the mountain trail. They fell silent again as they ascended the rocky path. As they approached the summit, Mecale felt the fear rise in her. She was suddenly very frightened to see what lay in wait fro them on the other side of the mountain. All of a sudden, she had the almost uncontrollable urge to turn back, to race back down the mountain and wait with her family for the end to come. Only Kouji's presence stopped her from going back and they continued on. 

About fifty feet from the peak of the mountain, Mecale began to shiver uncontrollably. Kouji noticed and rode closer to her. 

"Mecale, are you okay?" 

"Y…yes," Mecale stammered, "I…I'm j…just c…cold." 

Kouji looked at her questioningly. The temperature was quite high and the morning sun on their backs felt even warmer. Kouji had no idea how she could be cold. 

After a few minutes, Mecale stopped shivering and they continued up. They were just about to crest the mountain when Mecale stopped her horse. Kouji did also and looked at her, waiting for an explanation. 

"I can't do it," Mecale told him, "I can't look. I don't want to see it. I have to go back." Mecale started to turn her horse around but Kouji stopped by grabbing the reins. She looked up at him with eyes full of fear. "What are you doing? Let me go. I can't face that thing by myself! I'm only seventeen years old!" 

Kouji dismounted his horse while still holding the reins of hers and stood next to her. "Mecale, you're not going to face it by yourself. I'm here with you. We're gonna do this together." 

"I can't Kouji," Mecale insisted as tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I just can't!" 

Kouji let go of the reins and once again pulled Mecale from the saddle. This time he held her tightly as she cried. "I won't force you to go. If you want to go back, I won't stop you." 

"I'm so sorry," Mecale sobbed, "I just can't do it." 

"It's okay," Kouji comforted, "You don't have to go. I'll take care of it." 

"What?" Mecale cried, "No! We'll go back together and go to Asturia. My parents are smart, they'll find some other way to stop it." 

"I'm not going back," Kouji informed, "This is my destiny." 

Mecale shuddered violently at the word destiny. "How can your destiny be to die alone fighting for something that you shouldn't eve be involved with?" 

Kouji shrugged. "I'm not here to decipher fate, just to live it." 

"No," Mecale said and angrily wiped the tears from her eyes, "You aren't going alone. I'm not a child anymore and I won't run. This is my destiny too." 

Kouji nodded. He was half hoping that she would turn back so he would be sure it wouldn't be her that was going to die. He was, however, relieved that he wouldn't have to go alone. "Come on," he urged and grabbed her hand, "Let's see what we're up against." 

Leaving their horses to graze on the sparse grass, Mecale and Kouji walked hand in hand to the top of the mountain. On the other side, as far as they could see, was blackness. The blackness was so dark that it seemed to even dull the light of the sky to a dark gray. They only patch of land that hadn't yet bee touched by the shadow was a square about ¼ of a mile in length at the foot of the mountain. Mecale figured that by the time they reached it, the strip of land would be much smaller. 

"It's huge!" Kouji exclaimed, "How are we supposed to fight that thing?" 

"He's there," Mecale murmured. 

"Huh?" Kouji turned to her. "Who's where?" 

"Him," Mecale stated, "the evil. The shadow is just a cloak that he hides under to do his work. The actual evil has manifested into the shape of a man. That is what we must defeat." 

Kouji nodded but said nothing. He turned back to the shadow and was shocked to see that it was moving, rolling and crashing like a black sea. Then out of the dark waves the huge face of a man formed. The eyes turned towards the mountaintop and fixed on Mecale. The mouth widened into a huge grin when he saw her. 

"What the Hell is that?" Kouji demanded, surprised by the fear in his voice. 

"That is him," Mecale informed. 

"What?!" 

"Come on," Mecale urged and turned back towards the horses, "We need to go quickly." 

Kouji followed Mecale to the horses and they mounted quickly. Without a word, Mecale nudged her horse, sending it up the mountain at a gallop. Reluctantly, Kouji did the same and tried to hold on. They crested the mountain and started down the other side at an even faster pace. Kouji clung desperately to the saddle, praying that he wouldn't fall off and be killed. 

The horses shot down the mountain like cheetahs. Down below, the shadow boiled and twisted, growing closer to the mountain. They were almost to the bottom when suddenly the horses skidded to a halt, nearly throwing their riders. Once they had come to a stop, the horses snorted and pranced around nervously. They refused to go any further. 

"We'll have to continue on foot," Mecale told him as she slid form the saddle. Kouji did the same. The second the riders were off, the horses bolted back up the mountain towards Fanelia. Without watching them go, Mecale and Kouji started down the remainder of the mountain on foot. 

By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, the shadow was only about one hundred feet away. Without slowing her pace, Mecale raced toward it with Kouji close behind. The shadow was pitching and rolling madly now but didn't come any closer. Mecale came to a stop a few feet in front of the massive black shape and Kouji stood next to her. 

"Stay where you are!" Mecale ordered, "Don't come any closer!" 

The shadow complied but was still twitching agitatedly. Suddenly, it's movements ceased and Mecale's eyes widened as she stared into the darkness. 

Kouji tried to ask what was wrong but he found that his entire body was paralyzed. He began to order his body to move but it ignored him. The only thing he could move were his eyes. He looked over at Mecale and saw that she was frantically pulling at her legs as if she were trying to move them. 

"No no no no no…" Mecale chanted as she tried in vain to move her paralyzed legs. He was coming, just like in the dream. She couldn't just stand there and let him pull her into the abyss. Mecale looked over at Kouji and saw that he was standing completely still. He was obviously paralyzed and would be of no help to her now. 

She sensed him stop just inside the shadow. He was teasing her, causing her fear to grow while contemplating when he would step out but unlike in her dreams, she knew what stood just inside the darkness. This did nothing to ease her fears, however. 

Just when she thought she could take the suspense any longer, he stepped out. He looked exactly how he had in the dream, except he was more alluring and handsome. Mecale found herself strangely attracted to him and probably would've stepped forward if her legs hadn't been stuck to the ground. 

"Mecale," he whispered softly. 

Mecale looked up into his dark eyes and the fear crept back into her. "Who are you?" 

"I am your destiny," the man told her. The sound of his voice was so soothing that Mecale unwillingly felt herself relax. She was, however, perplexed by his answer. 

"What do you mean?" All memory of her nightmares were gone and she waited patiently for an answer. 

"I mean what I say," the man answered cryptically and held out his hand to her. "Come Mecale. It is time." 

Mecale's brow furrowed in confusion and she felt a tiny spark of anger at the way he kept vaguely answering her questions. She was also appalled that she had almost taken his hand. "Time for what?" 

"Time for your destiny." 

Those four words echoed inside of Mecale's head, erasing all of the fear, doubt and anger, leaving only a feeling of total and complete bliss. Mecale smiled serenely. She felt detached, like her mind was watching as someone else controlled her body. She watched in curiosity as her hand stretched out to meet the hand of the handsome man who stood before her. Suddenly, a tiny voice in her head shouted at her to stop, to turn and run. She pushed the voice away quickly. Why should she give into the fear when happiness was so close at hand? He was right. It was time, time for her destiny. 

Kouji watched in horror as Mecale slowly lifted her hand up to the man who had emerged from the shadow. _No! _his mind screamed, _Don't do it Mecale!_ He realized that it was no use and the only way to saver her was to stop her. Suddenly, the feeling rushed back into him and he was able to move again. Thanking God for this small miracle, he ran between Mecale and the man, his sword in front of him. 

"No!" Kouji shouted and swung the sword at the man. He easily dodged and glared at Kouji. "Stay away from her!" Kouji ordered. 

"Foolish boy," the man growled, "How dare you stand between me and my destiny." 

"She's not your destiny," Kouji told him, "and I won't let you have her!" 

"She is mine!" the man snarled, "and you will not keep me from her!" 

Mecale watched the exchange in semi-shock. Suddenly, the man lunged for Kouji. He tried to dodge but wasn't fast enough. The man grabbed the front of Kouji's armor and lifted him off the ground. 

Suddenly, the dreams came rushing back to Mecale and she knew what was going to happen. Without hesitation, she summoned her wings and flew up just as the man tossed Kouji. They collided in midair and then fell to the ground. They landed hard and for a moment, Mecale thought she was going to pass out. Stars danced in front of her eyes and her left wing ached terribly. She dismissed them and the pain subsided. 

"Mecale!" Kouji called, "Are you okay?" 

"Yes," Mecale answered and sat up. She looked past Kouji and her eyes widened. She shoved him aside and rolled the other way just as a huge battleaxe wielded by the man from the shadow crashed down right where Kouji had been. The man lifted the axe back up and turned towards Kouji, leaving his back to Mecale. She knew this might be her only chance and she drew her mother's sword. With a shout, she rammed the blade into the man's back, burying it to the hilt. 

For a few seconds, no one moved. Then the man dropped his axe and stumbled forward, causing Mecale to release her grip on the sword. The man stumbled again and turned to face Mecale. His eyes were wide in surprise and he looked down at the blade protruding from his stomach. He then looked back up at Mecale and she was terrified to see a smile on his face. She looked back down at the sword and saw no blood on it. 

"No," Mecale breathed as the man withdrew the sword from his back and turned back to Kouji. He swung the sword at Kouji and Kouji clumsily blocked it. The man struck again and Kouji was just barely able to avoid the sharp edge. 

Mecale watched as the two men sparred. The man was very skilled with a sword and Kouji was already beginning to get tired. If Mecale had a sword, she would be able to hold the man off longer, but he now had her sword. The only thing left to do was destroy the shadow by sacrificing herself. The only problem was, she had no weapon with which to take her own life. 

Mecale looked around, hoping to find a rock sharp enough to cut through her flesh. All the rocks she saw were dull. She broadened her search and that's when her eyes fell on the axe. It lay where the man dropped it, a few feet behind where Kouji and the man were fighting. Mecale ran over to the axe and tried to lift it. It was much too heavy for her._ Oh well,_ she thought, _I don't need to wield it._

Mecale managed to lift it up enough so that one side of the blade was stuck in the dirt and the other was facing upwards. Mecale debated on how she should kill herself. Her first thought was to slit her wrists but she decided that her death would be too slow that way. She decided to go for the main artery in her neck. 

Mecale reached out to test the blades sharpness when a cry from Kouji caught her attention. She looked up and saw dark red blood seeping out of a fresh wound in his left arm. She knew he couldn't hold out much longer. She pressed her finger to the blade lightly and gasped as it sliced into her skin, causing blood to flow freely. 

The second that her blood touched the air, the man whirled around to face Mecale. Kouji took that opportunity to plunge his sword into the man's side. The man ignored the blade and sprinted over to where Mecale was positioned with her throat above the blade of the axe. 

"No!" he shouted and kicked Mecale hard in the side, sending her flying away from the weapon. Before she could catch her breath, he was leaning over her. "What are you doing? You will not die before I fulfill my destiny!" The man lifted her sword up and brought the hilt down on her head. 

Pain exploded inside Mecale's skull as the sword hilt added to the pain she felt from the kick in the side. Mecale's vision darkened and she fought desperately to hold onto consciousness. In the end, the darkness prevailed and she passed out. 

The man stood over Mecale's unconscious form and looked down at her for a few more seconds. He then turned back to Kouji, a sinister smile on his face. He pulled Kouji's sword out of his side and swung both swords around cockily. 

"Well well," the man sneered, "It appears as though you are unarmed." 

Kouji tore his gaze from Mecale and looked at the man. He remained silent. 

"You would've been better off if you had stayed out of my way samurai," the man hissed and slowly walked over to Kouji. "Now I will make you suffer before you die!" 

The man swung both swords at Kouji. He dodged one but the other caught him in the shoulder. It missed his armor and sliced through two inches of flesh. Kouji cried out and grabbed the wound as blood pumped out between his fingers. 

"Fool," the man smiled, "You still stand. Maybe if you beg for mercy I will end it quickly." 

Kouji grinned. "Not gonna happen." 

Rage flared in the man's dark eyes. "How dare you stand up to me!" The blades swung again but Kouji managed to dodge them both, although the movement caused the wounds in his arm and shoulder to scream in protest. 

Behind them, Mecale opened her eyes and blinked to clear her vision. The pain in her head was throbbing, making it hard to concentrate. She saw the man and Kouji in front of her. The man now had two swords and Kouji was holding a new wound in his shoulder. Mecale got to her feet. 

"You will not be able to keep dodging for long," the man told Kouji and lunged for him again. Kouji rolled out of the way. "Soon you will get tired." 

Kouji jumped back as the blades slashed at him again. This time, one of them connected with the chest plate of his armor while the other one missed. Because of the impact of steel on steel, the man dropped the sword. He went to pick it up but Kouji kicked him hard, sending him sprawling. Enraged, the man rolled to his feet. 

"How dare you!" the man shouted, "You will pay!" 

The man lunged at Kouji with his remaining sword, Mecale's sword, intent on driving it into Kouji's stomach. 

"NO!" 

From the side, Mecale shoved Kouji out of the way with such force that he stumbled and fell. Mecale's own momentum threw her into the path of the sword. Her eyes went wide as it slammed into her stomach and out the back, burying the blade to the hilt. 

"Mecale!" Kouji screamed from the ground. 

The pain was unbearable and Mecale began to get dizzy. It felt as if someone had lit a fire inside her and now it was burning her alive from the inside. She looked down and saw that the sword through her stomach was her mother's sword and that the pure white dress she wore was now stained crimson. She looked back up at the man from the shadow, who stared down at her in shock. Suddenly, the words from the prophecy resurfaced in her mind. 

_The blood of the girl-child or the samurai will destroy the shadow and banish it's evil forever._

Mecale slowly moved her arms and grasped the hilt of the sword. Her arms felt leaden as she slowly began to withdraw the sword from her body. The pain intensified as the blade was pulled out and the blood flowed freely down the front and back of her dress. She held the sword in front of her and looked at the blade drenched with her own blood. She could no longer feel the pain and in one swift motion, she jammed the sword into the man's chest. His eyes popped wide as her pure good blood mixed with his pure evil body. The blood on the sword began to turn white and soon spread until the man's entire body was solid white. He staggered backwards as a bright light began to radiate from him. Suddenly, the man exploded into a ball of brilliant light. The light washed over the shadow, returning the land to it's previous existence. 

Mecale looked around slowly and smiled. The shadow was gone. She had done it. Mecale felt no pain from her wounds and began to sway slightly. Suddenly, her ability to stand left her and she collapsed. Luckily, Kouji had seen her sway and caught her before she hit the ground. He laid her down gently and took off his armor. 

"Mecale," he whispered. 

She smiled. "We did it, Kouji. He's gone, gone forever." 

"Don't talk," Kouji told her as he pulled off his shirt and wadded it up. He pressed it against her wound in hoped of stopping the bleeding. "Save your strength." 

"My strength is already gone," Mecale told him quietly, "I don't feel any pain. I don't feel anything." 

"No dammit!" Kouji exclaimed as he put pressure on her wound. "You are not going to die!" 

"You knew this was going to happen," Mecale reminded, "Siri told you." 

"It wasn't supposed to be you!" he insisted, "It was supposed to be me!" 

"No," Mecale smiled, "This is my destiny." 

"No!" 

"Kouji," Mecale called weakly, "come here." 

Kouji reluctantly abandoned his attempt to stop the blood flow and crawled over to her. 

"I can feel my life leaving me," Mecale murmured. 

"No…" 

"Can you tell my family something for me?" Mecael asked. He nodded, afraid to trust his own voice. "Tell them, that if it's in any way possible, they should visit the Mystic Moon. If they do, will you show them around?" 

"Yes," Kouji managed. 

"Good," Mecale said, "and ask Lisa to take Siri shopping. I know she would love that." 

"I will." 

"Thank you." Mecale's face suddenly twisted in terror. "Kouji?" 

"Yes?" 

"I can't see anything." 

"No!" 

"I'm scared," Mecale murmured. 

"I'm right here with you," Kouji promised and grabbed her hand. 

"Will you hold my hand?" 

Kouji looked down at the pale, scarlet streaked hand wrapped in his own. "I am." 

"I can't feel it." Mecale took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Kouji waited anxiously for her to release the breath but she never did. 

"Mecale?" He shook her gently. "No, please no! Mecale!" He pulled her lifeless body into his arms and rocked her gently as his fell into her hair and her blood soaked into his pants. "No! Why did this happen? It was supposed to be me! Please come back to me! Please! Mecale!" 

******************************** 

I'm so so SOOOO sorry for the delay in updates. I've been lazy lately and really didn't want to write. I got it done though and I think it might be the longest chapter I've ever written. Good news, I have the entire fic finished. After this, there is just one more chapter and an epilogue. They should be posted soon. Today at the soonest (but don't count on it) or Friday at the latest (more reasonable). I hope you enjoy! 


	14. Goodbye

**Chapter 13: Goodbye**

The sky to the west lit up for a brief second and then returned to it's normal blue color. The remaining occupants of the Fanelian palace stood in the courtyard and stared out in the direction of Zaibach. 

"What was that?" Merle asked. 

Without a word, the four Draconians summoned their wings and flew up into the sky. They returned a few minutes later, smiling. 

"The shadow is gone!" Adrina exclaimed, "They did it!" 

Folken turned to Gadis, the captain of the Crusade II. "Is the ship ready to go?" 

"Whenever you are," Gadis answered. 

Everyone hurried over to the airship and boarded quickly. Within five minutes they were sailing over the mountains and into Zaibach. Along the windows in the cabin, everyone was looking for Mecale and Kouji. It was Merle who finally spotted them. 

"Look!" she exclaimed and pointed, "There they are!" 

Down below, the shapes of two people could be discerned from the landscape. 

"I'm taking us down," Gadis informed and the Crusade II began to descend. 

----------------------------------------------- 

Kouji was still gently rocking Mecale when the sound of propellers cut through the quiet air. He looked up and saw the airship from Asturia, the Crusade II, descended out of the sky. Disinterested, he turned back to Mecale and continued to rock her as the ship landed. 

----------------------------------------------- 

The second the ship hit the ground, Adrina and Folken were running towards their daughter. From the ship they had seen that she was lying on the ground and Kouji was holding her. 

_Please let her be alive,_ Adrina chanted in her mind as she ran, _Please let her be alive…_

As they approached, Adrina could see that the once white dress her daughter wore was stained crimson. Adrina knelt next to her daughter and touched her face. She didn't respond. 

"Mecale?" Adrina called and stroked her face. No response. "Mecale, sweetheart, it's your mother, answer me." She looked up at Kouji with tears streaming down her face. "Why won't she answer me?" 

Kouji stared at her blankly. He was numb inside. "She's dead." 

"No!" Adrina screamed, "She can't be! You were supposed to protect her! How could you let her die?!" 

Kouji didn't reply as Adrina shouted at him, then burst into hysterical sobs. Folken bent down next to her and pulled her into his arms while Kouji continued to stare down at Mecale blankly. 

"She's dead," Adrina wailed as her husband tried to comfort her, "Our daughter is dead!" 

"I know," Folken said calmly as his own tears fell, "I know." 

By this time, everyone else had joined them. Hitomi was crying while Van tried to comfort her. Golan stood nearby, trying and failing to hold back his tears. Merle and Zane stood behind Folken and Adrina, clinging to each other and crying for the loss of their niece. 

Kouji saw all of this without really seeing it. He couldn't focus on anything except the dead woman in his arms. Her mother was right. He had let her die. He didn't know how long they sat there but finally, Folken stood up, dragging Adrina with him. She was still sobbing but they were weaker than before. The King turned to Merle and Zane. 

"Will you help Adrina back to the airship?" 

Merle nodded and gently pried Adrina away from Folken. The Draconian woman leaned heavily on her sister and brother-in-law as they slowly led her back to the Crusade II. Folken leaned down next to Mecale and started to lift her up. Kouji pulled her away from her father quickly and glared at the older man, anger in his eyes. 

Folken, surprised by Kouji's reaction, pulled his hands back quickly. "Kouji, it's time to go." 

The rage faded from his eyes and the blank look once again surfaced. "I know." 

"Then let's go," Folken urged. 

Kouji looked down at the woman in his arms and shook his head. "No. If we leave, then you'll have to take her away from me. If we stay here, I won't have to give her up." 

Folken knelt down next to Kouji and put his hand on his shoulder. "You have to let her go. There is nothing more you can do for her." 

"It's my fault," Kouji murmured. 

"No it isn't." 

"Yes it is," Kouji insisted, "He was gonna stab me but she shoved me out of the way. It should be me laying there, not her!" Fresh tears sprang to Kouji's eyes and rolled down his dirty cheeks. 

"She knew what she was doing," Folken said, "there was nothing you could've done." 

Kouji shook his head but said nothing. 

"Come on." Folken stood up. "We should go." 

Kouji tightened his hold on Mecale and was preparing to stand when he notice the stone in Mecale's dragon necklace was glowing. He settled back onto the ground and stared at the pendant in confusion. Folken noticed Kouji was staring at Mecale and followed his gaze. He too noticed the glowing necklace and bent down next to Kouji. 

"Why is it glowing like that?" Kouji inquired. 

"I don't know," Folken admitted. 

The necklace began to glow brighter and a gasp behind him made Folken turn around. He looked up and saw that Van's pendant was glowing as well. 

"What's going on?" Hitomi questioned. 

The necklace began to glow even brighter and Kouji reached out to touch it. As soon as his fingers touched the stone, a bright light erupted from it, causing him to close his eyes or risk blindness. The moment the light pulsed from the necklace, he thought he felt Mecale move. Of course, that was impossible. 

When the light had subsided, Kouji opened his eyes slowly. He looked down at the necklace and saw that it wasn't glowing anymore. 

"What was that?" Van asked. 

Kouji barely heard him because he was staring into Mecale's now open eyes. _This is impossible,_ he thought, _Her eyes can't be open. She can't be looking at me. She's dead. She…_

"Kouji?" 

Her lips moved so subtly and the word was so quiet that he thought he'd imagined it. He responded anyhow. "Mecale?" 

Their words had drawn the attention of Folken, Van, Golan and Hitomi and the four of them stared down at Mecale as she smiled up at Kouji. 

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly. 

Kouji stared at her in shock. "Y…yeah." 

"Oh my God, it's a miracle!" Folken announced and fell to his knees beside his daughter. 

"Father?" Mecale's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you doing here?" 

Folken didn't reply. He just stared at her while tears formed in his eyes. Behind her, Mecale heard her Aunt Hitomi shout, "Adrina! Come quick! She's alive!" 

Mecale looked past Kouji and saw her mother, Merle and Zane standing about one hundred feet away. Suddenly her mother broke away from the two cats and ran back to her daughter. Adrina threw her arms around Mecale and hugged her tightly. 

"Oh my baby!" Adrina sobbed, "You're all right!" 

"Of course I am," Mecale stated, "Mother, what's going on?" Her mother continued to cry so Mecale turned to Kouji. "Kouji?" 

"You were dead," he told her with shiny eyes. 

"What?!" 

"He stabbed you," Kouji reminded, "You pushed me out of the way and he got you instead. Don't you remember?" 

Mecale was silent for a moment, then she quickly untangled herself from her mother and looked down. Her white dress was still stained with blood and was cut where the sword had pierced it. She put her fingers in the hole and felt around on her skin. There was no wound. The only thing her fingers found was a raised scar where the wound should have been. She looked back up at Kouji. 

"What happened?" 

"My grandmother," Mecale murmured. 

"Huh?" 

"My grandmother Varie," Mecale repeated, "I saw her." 

"Saw her where?" Folken asked from where he knelt at her side, holding Adrina. 

"I don't know where it was," Mecale informed. Van knelt down next to Folken, eager to her news of his mother. Merle and Zane had also rejoined the group and listened intently as Mecale spoke. "I remember waking up in a huge meadow. There were birds singing and a stream running through it. I got up and saw a huge castle in front of me. It must have been twenty times the size of Asturia's palace. I saw other people walking up to it so I thought maybe they could tell me where I was. I approached the castle and when I got close, a woman with long dark hair emerged from the golden gate. I thought this was odd because no one else was leaving the castle, only going in. She walked out of the gates and met me on the grassy plain. When she got closer I realized she was my grandmother Varie. She smiled and told me that I had done a wonderful thing but it wasn't my time yet. I asked her what she meant but she only smiled. She told me to close my eyes and when I opened them, I was back here." 

Everyone stared at Mecale, most with tears in their eyes. 

"It's okay," Mecale told them, "I'm back now. Everything is fine. The shadow is gone and we can go on living our lives just like before." 

Folken smiled at his daughter. "You're right. Let's get back to Fanelia. We have many things to celebrate." 

Everyone stood and made their way to the airship. 

--------------------------------------------- 

The sun was just starting to set over the Fanelian Mountains as the group of people made their way into the forest. They walked in silence, not knowing what to say at such a time. At the front of the group, Mecale led them to the clearing. 

It had been nearly a week since the battle with the shadow and most of the time had been spent celebrating. Until yesterday, Mecale thought her happiness would last forever. Now she knew that her happiness had been a short lived dream that would come crashing down in a matter of minutes. 

Yesterday, her parents had called her to their parlor to talk. When she had arrived, they told her that they wanted her to talk to Kouji about going home to the Mystic Moon. At first, she had been completely against it but as her parents began to discuss it with her, she realized it would be selfish to force him to stay. 

The group came to a stop as they entered the clearing. They were all silent for a moment before Folken spoke. 

"I know this is hard on both of you," Folken told Mecale and Kouji, "but you are doing the right thing." 

Mecale said nothing and avoided everyone's gaze. Kouji merely nodded. There was another moment of awkward silence before everyone commenced saying goodbye to the man from the Mystic Moon. Once they were done, they group turned and exited the clearing, leaving Mecale and Kouji alone to say goodbye to one another. Kouji was the first to speak. 

"This really sucks." 

"Yes, it does," Mecale agreed. 

"You know, I could always stay here a little longer," Kouji offered. 

Mecale shook her head. "No, your family and friends a probably worried sick about you." 

"Then maybe you could come back with me," Kouji suggested. 

Mecale smiled slightly. They had already been over this. "My place is here. Someday I will take over rule of Fanelia. I cannot run from my duties." 

"I know," Kouji admitted, "I guess this is goodbye then." 

Mecale nodded, unwilling to trust her voice. 

"Come here." Kouji pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. She hugged him back, being careful not to push on the bandaged wounds in his arm and shoulder. When they pulled apart, her cheeks were wet with tears. 

Mecale wiped the salty droplets away quickly. "Here." Mecale took off her dragon necklace and hooked it around Kouji's neck. "I want you to have this." 

"Are you sure?" Kouji asked and touched the purple stone. 

"Yes." 

"Um…" Kouji looked down at him clothes, trying to find something to give her. "Aha!" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the old gray baseball cap. He placed it backwards on her head. "There. It's not as glamorous as your necklace but it's one of my most prized possessions." 

"Thank you," Mecale smiled. She leaned forward and kissed him. "I will come back for this someday." She placed her hand on the dragon pendant. 

"I'm gonna miss you," he whispered. 

"I'm going to miss you too." 

Kouji leaned forward and kissed her again. "Thank you." 

"For what?" 

"For everything," he answered, "Goodbye Mecale." 

"Goodbye Kouji." 

Kouji took a step back from her and she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the pendant around Kouji's neck was glowing. She watched, in tears, as the blue light surrounded him and took him back to the Mystic Moon. 

-------------------------------------- 

Kouji woke up slowly and saw that it was dark all around him. At first, he was disoriented and sat up quickly. He realized he was laying in the grass on the cliff near where he had found Mecale. He was home. 

Kouji got to his feet and despondently walked back to his apartment. He let himself in and went to his bedroom. He flicked on the light and took in the scene around him. Mecale's shoes were still lined up against the closet with his own. He saw her bloody tank top and pants in the laundry basket, the ones she had been wearing during the accident. He knew he would have a lot of explaining to do about it but he was too exhausted to worry about it right now. 

Kouji went over to the bed and started to lay down when a piece of paper on the blankets caught his eye. He picked it up and say that it was a note from Mecale. It read: 

_Dear Kouji,   
By the time you read this, I will be gone. I'm sorry that I didn't say goodbye but I couldn't risk it. Something terrible is happening on Gaea, I can feel it and I know if you knew I was leaving that you'd want to come with me and I can't let you. The dream I had last night was about you getting hurt. In fact, you died. I'm afraid that the dreams I've been having are connected to what's happening on Gaea. I can't risk having the dreams come true. I love you Kouji and I couldn't bear to lose you. I hope you will forgive me for my sudden departure. Perhaps we will see each other again someday.   
Forever Yours, Mecale_

Kouji finished the letter and sighed. He put it down on his nightstand and for the first time in his life, he felt utterly alone. 

************************************* 

That's it folks! All that is left now is a very short epilogue. I hope you enjoyed this! 


	15. Epilogue: Told You

**Epilogue: Told You**

A knock on the door drew Kouji's attention away from the program he was watching on TV. It was Saturday afternoon and he wasn't expecting anybody. For that matter, he knew that Lisa and her family were on vacation in Hawaii and she would be the only one who would come over without calling first. Curious, Kouji stood up and walked over to the door. 

It had been two years since he had visited Gaea. In that time, not one day had gone by that he didn't think of Mecale. Countless times he had tried to get rid of her clothes but had stopped himself at the last minute, thinking that she might come back. Since his return to Earth, Kouji had sold three more scripts. One of them had been sequel to Another World called Golden Angel and had been number one at the theaters for five weeks. He had never gone and saw it however; the pain was still too fresh at that time. He had made a substantial amount of money from the scripts but still he lived in the one bedroom apartment. Lisa had tired to convince him to move into Beachfront Estates but he had declined. The apartment held memories of Mecale that he wasn't ready to give up yet. 

Kouji reached the door and peered out the peephole. Outside stood a woman. She was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and had a baseball cap pulled down over her face, making it impossible for Kouji to identify her. He opened the door. "Hi. Can I help you?" 

The woman looked up, her lavender eyes locking with his deep brown ones. He stared in shock as she pulled the baseball cap off of her head, letting her chocolate brown hair fall down her back. On either side of her face was a blue streak. 

She smiled brightly at him and pointed to the purple dragon necklace that rested on his chest. "I told you I'd come back for this someday." 

  
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Yeah! It's finished! I hoped those of you who read it enjoyed it. I only had three different reviewers on this fic but that's okay because I didn't write it for reviews, I wrote it so Gwuinny would stop bugging me (Just kidding Gwuinny! ^_^) Anyway, thank you to KlutzyGirl, Night of the Raven and Gwuinivyre for reviewing this fic. If it wasn't for your generous reviews, I probably never would've finished this. THANKS! 


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